Community demands answers on prolonged water project

GA-MAPHOPHA – The residents of demand answers from Sekhukhune District Municipality (SDM) on the prolonged water project in the area.

The district municipality’s Public Accounts Committee, conducting its constitutional mandate of oversight function on the executive functionaries of council, held a public hearing at Ga-Maphopha Village, on 17 December over the matter.

The hearing, attended by a restricted number of community members for compliance with COVID-19 regulations, focused on the area’s water project in particular, the construction of the command reservoir.

During the previous visit by the MPAC members in the area, in September, it was discovered that that the project remained incomplete, resulting in complaints by members of the community as they felt the district municipality did not have their interests at heart.

SDM Executive Mayor, Stanley Ramaila, political head of the district, Maureen Ntshudisane, Acting SDM Municipal Manager and senior officials from Infrastructure and Water Services Department, were present at the hearing held on 17 December 2020 at Ga-Maphopha to answer on community concerns on the development of the water project.

Members of the MPAC demanded knowledge on the completion of the project which has been delayed, and the contractor missed the revised 21 November 2020 deadline for the commissioning of the project.

Ramaila said the project was 95 percent complete and the contractor currently was making finishing touches.

Ramaila added that the project was delayed, mainly due to intermittent disruptions by concerned groups.

The SDM director of Infrastructure Water and Sanitation committed that the command reservoir would supply the people of the area with water by the end of March next year.

“Once this project is complete, it will benefit ten villages in Ga-Maphopha and Ga-Malekane areas, particularly in the wads, 27, 28 and 29,” said Ramaila.

MPAC vowed to keep monitoring the project. Chairperson Kukie Sefala, said the main interest was for the project was to be completed.

“We are there for urging every role player to prioritise the project,” said Sefala.