Johannesburg - Over 800 jobs were created in the first phase of the Mthonjaneni bulk water project in Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal, Water and Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa said on Saturday.
"Job creation has... been a strong focus of this project, with 846 jobs created during phase one, which is now operational, following five years of hard work," Molewa said in a speech prepared for delivery at the launch of the project.
Once the second phase of the project had been completed, 281 864 people would have access to clean water, and the water backlog in the municipality would be reduced by 30%, she said.
The department had already invested close to R150m on phase one of the project.
"The Greater Mthonjaneni Water Project... is one of the projects we will embark upon to eradicate... backlogs. The project will supply parts of uMfolozi, Mthonjaneni and Ntambanana local municipalities when it is completed," said Molewa.
An interim water supply strategy had been put in place to provide for areas that were still without water.