Members of Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation have expressed their disappointment at the slow progress made towards the completion of the Giyani Water Supply Scheme.
This follows a two-day oversight visit last week by parliamentarians to assess the efficacy of water and sanitation infrastructure and human settlement development projects in Giyani. The Giyani
Water Supply Scheme is for the benefit of residents of 55 villages who have been without potable water for many years.
According to the chairperson of the committee, Machene Semenya, they found it unacceptable that despite a huge financial investment in the scheme, the villagers did not receive reliable potable water in their households.
ALSO READ: Tzaneen Dam wall apparently back on track
The portfolio committee has recommended that the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) work closely with the Mopani District Municipality and Lepelle Northern Water to fast-track the delivery of water to the affected communities of Giyani.
Furthermore, the committee recommended that the three parties immediately engage communities and their traditional leaders and inform
them about developments around the scheme.
“No decisions should be imposed on the communities and their leaders without consulting them,” said Semenya.
Acting Deputy Director-General for Infrastructure in DWS, Leonardo Manus, and Lucy Kobe, the department’s Limpopo Provincial Head, who accompanied the parliamentarians during their site visits assured the politicians that the department would intervene to step up the work of supplying water to the beleaguered communities.
ALSO READ: Council appoints new municipal manager for Mopani District
“We welcome the findings and recommendations of the Portfolio Committee and wish to assure them that we will work closely with Mopani and Lepelle to end the water woes of the people of Giyani,” said Manus.
Manus and Kobe also committed the department to work closely with the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) with a view to help recover money from contractors following allegations of corruption.
