R530 million budget brings water relief to Limpopo traditional leaders, but concerns persist
Traditional leadership, such as headmen chiefs and paramount chiefs across Limpopo, have received clean borehole water from the R530 million annual budget tabled by the department of cooperative governance, human settlements and Traditional Affairs.
The Fetakgomo/Tubatse local municipality was the first to roll out the programme, with many praising the council and the Sekhukhune district municipality.
But does the entire 6.4 million Limpopo populace have this basic human need, as promised by the ANC-led government during the advent of democracy in 1994?
In the 2025/26 financial year, the Limpopo cooperative governance, human settlements and traditional affairs department under the leadership of MEC Basikop Makamu told The Citizen it has allocated a total budget of R2.5 billion this financial year (2025/26) to bankroll its day-to-day activities, including the provision of fresh tap water to traditional houses and their offices throughout the province.
MEC Makamu said the budget allocation per programme is R449 million for administration, R1.2 billion for human settlements, R333 million for cooperative governance and R530 million for traditional affairs.
Makamu promised the department will continue having the best interests of all its traditional leaders at heart, as he said they were on the coalface of human development because of their proximity to communities.
Collaboration needed
This week, Fetakgomo/Tubatse local municipality mayor Eddy Maila echoed Makamu's sentiments, saying his municipality and traditional leadership were working together to change lives in Burgersfort and surrounding farms and villages.
'We are a mining town and water is essential to our mining explorations and for our day-to-day work in our communities.
Maila said the Fetakgomo Tubatse local municipality is not a water service authority. But the municipality, he said, relied on the Sekhukhune district municipality to provide water and sanitation services.
'But I can tell you that since mayor Minah Bahula assumed office, we have seen vivid interventions that she has made to ensure that our people have access to water.
'With her intervention, clean running water has been provided to our magoshi (traditional leadership) under Fetakgomo Tubatse through the drilling of durable boreholes.
'These include Ga- Seroka, Tau Mankotsane, Ga Radingwana, Ga Masehleng, Ga Mampuru, Ga Phasha, Ga Manoke, Selatole, Ga Mashabela, Mareseleng, Maakubu, Ga Riba, Ga Selala, Ga Maroga and Mafarafara.'
ALSO READ: Mathabatha admits Limpopo's water challenges
Water issues
During his state of the local municipal address at the weekend, Maila said in March this year, he and his entourage accompanied Bahula to hand over two contracts for bulk water services in Ga Malekane and Ga Mampuru.
These intervention, he said, is bound to see the water challenges addressed with precision and distinction in the sub-region.
Limpopo Premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba acknowledged that water provision in Limpopo had regressed to 64.2%.
Areas hard-hit by the shortages are the Capricorn, Vhembe, Sekhukhune and the Mopani regions.
The Premier said her office has established a task team to address water shortages in the province.
'We acknowledge that water access in Limpopo has regressed to 64.2%, leaving 35.8% of our people without this necessity.'
Giyani water project
Meanwhile, the R1.3 billion water reticulation project in Giyani is well underway.
Phase 1 of the project is now complete and Phase 2 has started in earnest.
This project is part of the broader Nandoni-Giyani water project and is funded by the water services infrastructure grant. It aims to improve water access for residents who have faced water shortages in the area since 2009.
The department of water and sanitation has since allocated a whopping R4.5 billion to restore water in Giyani since August 2014 to date.
NOW READ: Limpopo reels from GBVF and ritual murder surge
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