Decades late, the long awaited Umzimvubu water project is trundling ahead, with the department of water & sanitation saying it will complete the construction of the Ntabelanga Dam, which cuts across villages in Nqanqarhu and Qumbu, in the next five years.
The Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) has been hailed a success by President Cyril Ramaphosa who said the government initiative has created more than 14 million work opportunities since its inception 20 years ago.
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After unfulfilled promises spanning decades, the construction of the multibillion-rand Umzimvubu Water Project is well under way, with the first phase of the work more than 80% complete. But residents of the OR Tambo, Alfred Nzo and Joe Gqabi district municipalities will have to wait for about six years before they can access water from the project.