Government to improve efforts to monitor Giyani bulk water project

Deputy President Paul Mashatile says they will improve efforts to monitor the controversial multi-billion-rand Giyani bulk water project. Mashatile conducted an oversight visit to monitor progress in completing the project that was meant to supply water to 55 villages.

First commissioned in 2010, over R4 billion has thus far been used for the project that’s yet to supply water to most of the intended beneficiaries. Local authorities have appealed to Mashatile for additional funds for the reticulation phase of the project.

Mashatile started his fact-finding visit at the Nandoni Dam in Thohoyandou. The construction of a pipeline to move water from Nandoni to Nsami Dam in Giyani formed part of the project’s first phase. That phase was eventually completed last year, following several delays and work stoppages.

The deputy president then monitored the functioning of the 20-megalitre treatment capacity at the Giyani water treatment plant. He says some of the lessons learned from the project include the significance of keeping a close eye on ongoing projects.

“When they said two years, we said why? Is the problem money? And they said yes, and there were these other investigations.We are sorting out all those things, so the lesson to us is that there must always be proper, planning, and resources committed, and ongoing monitoring and monitoring must not end in the office. We must go on outreach programs on the ground and that is what we are doing here,” says Mashatile.

Water and Sanitation authorities say investigations into alleged fraud in the running of the project continue to run parallel with the project to ensure that residents access clean running water.

“There was delay. Everyone knows that there were allegations that there was fraud that was committed, but we said once the investigations are still on, we cannot block our people to get water. Let’s unblock the project so that our people get water. That is why we are here today. Nine villages are getting water irrespective (of whether) there is still investigations that are happening. Immediately (after) that report is done, we are going to act on the findings of that report. At the moment, we cannot subject our people not to have water just because there are investigations that are done. Today, we are taking nine villages, by December we will be talking 24 villages,” says Pemmy Majodina, Water and Sanitation Minister.

The local water authority, the Mopani District Municipality hopes that Mashatile’s visit will lead to funds being availed for phase two, which will see residents getting taps in their homesteads.

“I think we have learnt proper lessons from this one which we have run properly. The deputy president’s visit has always had impact. If these issues are elevated to his level, he will have a sense of proper intervention so that we can be able to fast track,” says Pule Shayi, Mopani District Municipal Executive Mayor.

Some residents of both Xikukwana and Nw’a-Khuwana villages where Mashatile visited, however, say their taps remain dry.

“I have been a resident of Xikukwana for 12 years. We have never seen a drop of water, we buy water for R3 a tub,” says Lizy Hlungwani, Resident.

“We buy water daily. We even sometime come to this canal with our buckets to collect water, try and disinfect it with ash and use it in our households,” says Sasavona Makhuvele, resident.

“We don’t have water. We wash here at the canal and even sometimes get this water boil and consume it,” says Faith Makaringe, resident.

There was no commitment in terms of when the project will be completed.