The Water and Sanitation Department has brought in 24 Cuban engineers to help repair the country's ailing water infrastructure at a cost of R65 million.
However, the Vaal Dam in Gauteng has hit a new low, with levels sitting at just under 34%. The same downward trend can be seen at dams across KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and the North West.
Images shared on social media show the Hartbeespoort Dam gushing downstream.
The utility said it would continue to monitor reservoir levels to help mitigate the effects of the stress on its system.
Water and Sanitation Minister Lindiwe Sisulu has tabled her department’s R16 billion budget vote on Tuesday where she promised to clean up the department which had run out of money last year.
Greenpeace South Africa says Nomvula Mokonyane wasn't its first choice for Environmental Affairs Minister but hope she does a better job than when she was at the helm of the Water and Sanitation Department.
Paul Nel of the Inter-Ministerial Task Team has told Parliament’s Water and Sanitation Oversight Committee that of the R13.1 billion owed, more than R9 billion is older than 120 days.
Eyewitness News revealed recently that construction company Khato Civils was forced to retrench the workers after the department had failed to pay for completed work.
Speaking to Talk Radio 702's Bongani Bingwa, CEO of Khato Civils, Mongezi Mnyani, says the first phase of the project, that was launched by former President Jacob Zuma, was done successfully.
The City of Cape Town is to lower level 6B water restrictions to level 5 from next month.
The department is broke and has asked Parliament to adjust it's 2018/2019 budget so it can meet its targets for this financial year.
Parliament heard on Wednesday the department's finances are going from bad to worse so much so that it won’t be able to carry out 46% of the work it set out to do this financial year.
The department has been allocated R15.5 billion for this financial year but it started the year with debt of over R2 billion.
Last week, the department asked residents to reduce their water consumption by 80%.
The national Water and Sanitation Department says dam levels are still not at the required 85%.
The Office of the Auditor-General says the department chose not to disclose almost R2,5 billion in other spending decisions that failed to follow the proper prescripts.
Members of Parliament want to get to the bottom of the mess, which the department blames on municipalities failing to pay for services and budget cuts.
The department believes if Gauteng sends water bottles to the Western Cape, the province might find itself with more water restrictions.
