INingizimu Afrika idinga okungenani ama-R400 billion ukuze ilungise ukusilela kokugcinwa kwempahla okulimaza ingqalasizinda yayo yamanzi nokuhlanzeka, kodwa kubekelwe isabelomali sama-R26 billion kuphela kulezi zinsizakalo ngonyaka wezimali ka-2025/26, ngokusho kukaNgqongqoshe Wezamanzi Nokuhlanzeka uPemmy Majodina. Ukuhlolwa komnyango kubonise ukuthi izinhlelo zamanzi zomasipala ezingama-73% zisesimweni 'esibi' noma 'esibucayi', cishe ingxenye yawo wonke amanzi omasipala alahlekile ngenxa yokuvuza kanye nokwehluleka kokukhokha.

Ukwehlukaniswa Kwengqalasizinda

Ngokusho kwemibiko yakamuva yoMnyango Wezamanzi Nokuhlanzeka i-Green and Blue Drop, iningi leziphathimandla zamanzi zaseNingizimu Afrika libhekene nokwehluleka okukhulu kwezinsizakalo. Kusukela ngo-2023, i-73% ithole izilinganiso eziphansi kakhulu, igcizelela izingozi eziyingozi kokubili ekufinyeleleni kwemindeni kanye nempilo yomphakathi ebanzi. Inkinga ibhebhethekiswa yi-47% yamanzi kamasipala ahlukaniswa 'njengamanzi angewona awemali engenayo', okubonisa ukulahlekelwa okuvela ekuvuza, ukuxhumeka okungekho emthethweni, amamitha angasebenzi kahle, kanye nezinkinga zokukhokha ezisakazekile.

UNgqongqoshe uMajodina utshele iPhalamende ngoDisemba 2025 ukuthi “kumele sithembeke ngobukhulu bezinselelo kanye noxhaso oludingekayo. Ezingeni likahulumeni wendawo, kudingeka okungenani u-R400 billion ukulungisa nokuthuthukisa ingqalasizinda yamanzi. Ngokusobala, lelo nani alitholakali okwamanje esikhwameni sezimali.” Wanezela ngokuthi imbangela eyinhloko ukwehluleka komasipala ukugxila ekwandiseni isabelomali sokusebenza nokulungisa, okuholele ekuwohlokeni kwengqalasizinda kanye nokuhlinzekwa kwamanzi okungathembekile.

Isabelomali Sikahulumeni Nezinyathelo Zokuphendula

Isabelomali sikazwelonke samanzi nokuhlanzeka ngo-2025/26 simi ku-R26 billion, okuyingxenyana yalokho okudingekayo ukubhekana nale nkinga. UMnyango Wezamanzi Nokuhlanzeka uqinisekisile ukuthi eminyakeni emihlanu edlule, cishe u-R30 billion udluliselwe komasipala abayi-105 abahlonzwe njengabasebenza kabi kakhulu, kodwa izinkinga eziyinhloko zesistimu azikaxazululwa.

Ukuze kwenezelwe imali yomphakathi elinganiselwe, uhulumeni uqhubeka nokubheka ukubandakanya imboni ezimele ekuthuthukisweni kwengqalasizinda kanye nezinhlelo zokulungisa eziqhubekayo. Umnyango wathi ngo-Ephreli 2026 ukuthi imizamo yokuzinzisa ngokushesha igxile ezindaweni zasemakhaya nezinganakekelwa kahle ngaphambilini lapho ikhwalithi yamanzi kanye nokuhlinzekwa kwayo kuyingozi kakhulu. Njengoba isidingo sikhula kanye namanethiwekhi akhona eguga, ochwepheshe baxwayisa ngokuthi kuzodingeka izibopho eziqinile ukuze kugwenywe inkinga ejulile.

UMnyango Wezamanzi Nokuhlanzeka kulindeleke ukuthi ushicilele imininingwane eyengeziwe mayelana nokuqaliswa kwezinyathelo eziphuthumayo kanye nezinhlelo zokutshalwa kwezimali zeminyaka eminingi kamuva kulo nyaka.