Rand Water sets the record straight

Rand Water is a proud partner of the Department of Basic Education’s national return to school programme to ensure safe and clean water for those school communities in need.

They were appointed as the implementing agent, after an implementation protocol between themselves and the Departments of Basic Education (DBE) and Water and Sanitation (DWS) was finalised on May 13.

The implementation protocol is per the Intergovernmental Relations Act, 2005 (Act No 13 of 2005).

“We have noted with concern the misinformation quoted in media articles as well as on social media platforms exaggerating the supplier costs for water tanks used during the intervention,” said Teboho Joala from Rand Water’s communication and stakeholder management.

It is important to note that all the service providers that were contracted as part of this intervention are accredited vendors registered on the National Treasury’s Central Supplier Database (CSD).

The CSD is a database of organisations, institutions and individuals who can provide goods and services to government.

“It is the single source of key supplier information for organs of state since April 2016, and it provides consolidated, accurate, up-to-date, complete and verified supplier information to procuring organs of state.”

All the costs for the successful implementation of the intervention fall well within the market price range for the equipment and installation costs utilised for the intervention.

The cost is as follows; 

• The cost for the supply of a 5 000-litre tank ranged between R4 500 and R5 400.
• The cost for the supply of a 10 000-litre tank ranged between R9 000 and R10 800.

The Implementation Protocol has a contractual value of R600-million to be payable by the DBE to Rand Water.
To date, the DBE has transferred an amount of R200-m to Rand Water.

“The implementation protocol is for Rand Water to supply and install water tanks and to provide water-cutting services to the respective schools during the declared national disaster period.

“An important second phase of the intervention is the construction of sustainable water sources for the schools through borehole drilling and pumping, as well as the establishment of reticulation systems to the closest source of water wherever possible. ”

• Issued by Rand Water