Pravin Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan expected to outline costs related to AMD on Wed 23 Feb

Environmentalists, NGOs and ordinary South Africans will know tomorow how much government has allocated to the problem of AMD in the Wits basin when Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan delivers his Budget speech. IInitial estimations were that government may need up to R218 million for a new pump station and pipeline, and to upgrade existing waterworks. But at a press briefing today (Tuesday), National Planning Minister Trevor Manuel said it was premature to determine exactly how much it would cost to address the crisis considering that a lot of work needed to be done in the next three years across the affected areas. He maintains his earlier stance that there is no need for panic or alarm.