The Executive Mayor of Mopani District Municipality, Pule Shayi, has called for sustained and coordinated action to improve water supply as the district’s three-day strategic planning session commenced on Tuesday.

In his opening address, Shayi emphasised the urgent need to expand access to reliable water services, particularly in communities still experiencing frequent disruptions. He confirmed that the Hi N’wa Mati Friday Campaign, which was disrupted by recent floods, is set to resume next week. The campaign has already seen more than 300 boreholes repaired by the end of December last year, providing relief to many households.

“Through Hi N’wa Mati Friday and Operation Fix All, we have reached out to many communities and reignited hope,” Shayi said. “However, notable gaps remain, including ageing infrastructure, increasing demand, and the challenge of water theft.”

The Mayor said the municipality would intensify efforts around infrastructure maintenance, leak detection and repair programmes, while showing zero tolerance for illegal connections and organised water theft. He added that 2026 would be a challenging year, making the strategic session vital in assessing progress on service delivery and broader development commitments.

Shayi further urged alignment with the priorities of the Government of National Unity, including inclusive economic growth, job creation, poverty reduction, lowering the cost of living, and building a capable, ethical and developmental state.

Delegates were also encouraged to focus on catalytic projects under the district development model aimed at unlocking economic growth and creating jobs. These include the Moshupatsela Farm Project, Hoedspruit Gateway Airport, TUT Giyani Campus, the Kruger National Park Shangoni Gate, and the Nkowankowa Industrial Park.

The session is attended by Education MEC Mavhungu Lerule-Ramakhanya and MEC Jerry Maseko, alongside senior traditional leaders, sector departments, state-owned agencies, Chapter 9 institutions and representatives from the business community.

The strategic planning session is expected to shape Mopani’s service delivery and development priorities for the year ahead, with water security and infrastructure sustainability at the centre of discussions.