Parliament, Thursday, 2 February 2023 – The Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs today concluded its week-long oversight visit to the Kannaland Local Municipality by visiting the Municipal Infrastructure Grant water project in Van Wyksdorp and the Van Wyksdorp informal settlement.

The committee has noted that there are some technical issues that still need to be looked at in the water project. This project has been allocated a budget of R4 million for the 2022/23 and 2023/24 financial years. The committee said it is important for the technical aspects to be accurate to ensure value for money.

The committee was not happy with the layout of the newly constructed Van Wyksdorp informal settlement where the informal dwellings are erected in close proximity to where pigs are kept. The committee has noted the Mayor’s commitment to addressing the problem.

The committee also visited the Ladismith Water Works, Sewerage Works in Zoar and Calitzdorp Sewerage Works. Visits to these sites were prioritized by the committee due to the challenge of water and sanitation in the communities. The committee wanted to see how these areas function and where there is a greatest need regarding water and sanitation.

The committee has appreciated the presence of the representative from the Municipal Infrastructure Support Agent (MISA) throughout the oversight visit. MISA is a very important agent that can assist Kannaland Municipality in the development of technical capacity particularly in water and sanitation projects. Furthermore, the committee expressed its optimism that MISA will play a vital role in assisting Kannaland Municipality in these projects.

The committee is encouraged by the Kannaland Mayor’s commitments to, among other things, engage all the communities on the issue of water, sanitation and human settlements. It has also noted his commitment of working with all the responsible provincial and national departments to ensure that water, sanitation and human settlements issues are resolved in Kannaland.

ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON COOPERATIVE GOVERNANCE AND TRADITIONAL AFFAIRS, MR FIKILE XASA.

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