Taps Turned On: New KZN Water Schemes Bring Clean Water to Macambini and Ndulinde

Thousands of people in the rural communities of Macambini and Ndulinde in KwaZulu-Natal are set to enjoy fresh, reliable water from their own taps, following the completion of two new water supply schemes.

Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina, together with Deputy Minister David Mahlobo, officially unveiled the two schemes on Saturday, 15 August 2026, on the outskirts of Mandeni within the Mandeni Local Municipality in the iLembe District. The projects, implemented by the iLembe District Municipality, form part of government’s ongoing drive to expand water access in rural areas and strengthen water security across the province.

Clean water for the Macambini community

The Macambini Water Supply Scheme is part of a long-term project that began around 2004 to bring clean drinking water to the area, which is home to roughly 33 000 people from more than 6 000 households.

Phases 4, 5 and 6 of the scheme included the installation of more than 2 000 yard standpipes, delivering clean drinking water to more than 2 000 households in eNdondakusuka, eMangethe and eMangeza. Beyond the taps, the work created jobs close to home: the department said Phase 5D alone generated roughly 63 direct job opportunities for local residents.

Smarter, leak-detecting taps for Ndulinde

The Ndulinde Water Supply Scheme now supplies fresh water to 488 households in Ndulinde Ward 6, as well as communities in Zone 5, including Mfuze, St Cyprian, Mathunzi and Matshamhlophe. Before the project, residents leaned on communal standpipes that simply could not keep up with demand.

The new scheme includes domestic water meters that can detect leaks, which is expected to improve water-use efficiency and cut physical water losses in the area. The department said Ndulinde has an estimated population of about 12 474 people from more than 3 000 households, and that Phase 4D created roughly 43 direct job opportunities for local communities.

Water, dignity and work

Taken together, the two schemes touch the daily lives of tens of thousands of residents, replacing long walks to shared taps with reliable supply closer to home. For families in Macambini and Ndulinde, the change means more time, better health and a stronger foundation for local livelihoods.

The department framed the unveiling as part of a bigger effort to expand access and shore up water security across KwaZulu-Natal, pairing new infrastructure with smarter monitoring to protect every precious drop. As Majodina and Mahlobo handed over the schemes, the message from Mandeni was a simple, hopeful one: clean water, delivered, and jobs created along the way.

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