Minister says Giyani residents will get water

Water and sanitation minister Senzo Mchunu returned to Giyani to observe the progress made at the Giyani Bulk Water Supply Project on Friday, November 19. He was accompanied by his deputy ministers Dikeledi Magadzi and David Mahlobo and they visited the Nsami Water Treatment Works in Giyani and the Nandoni Water Treatment Plant in Venda. The follow-up visit was aimed at addressing water challenges in the area, during his three-day visit in September, Mchunu made a commitment to resolve water crisis faced by the people of Giyani.

The minister and his deputies interacted with community members and stakeholders and assured them that work is underway to resolve outstanding issues and errors that have delayed the provision of water. “We are here to address any outstanding issues and they should be resolved within a reasonable timeframe. The Giyani Water Supply Project has been in the news for a number of years, especially with regard to negative issues of corruption and maladministration it is associated with. I am interested in the laying of pipelines from Nandoni Water Treatment Works to Giyani.

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This is a new era, and we are here to ensure that there is water for people of Vhembe and Giyani”, said Mchunu. Mchunu inspected the laying of water pipelines at Mphambo village in Giyani. He also inspected the Nandoni Water Treatment Works in Venda and assured the stakeholders that the work to upgrade it from producing 60 megalitres of water to 120 megalitres has been approved and will resume soon. “We cannot afford to delay provision of water to the people of Vhembe and Giyani. We are committed to service our people and today I am making an undertaking that the time starts now. You will get water in your villages,” he said.

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Mahlobo also gave a report on the status of compensation payments to relocated families who were removed when Nandoni Dam was constructed. He said out of 1 362 beneficiaries, 1 029 have been paid. This leaves out an amount of 339 claimants still to be processed. Meanwhile, the construction of a 49 km pipeline from Nandoni to Nsami has resumed and Lepelle Northern Water is the implementing agent. According to a statement issued by the Department of Water and Sanitation, 37% of the construction has been completed, meaning that 27 km of pipelines have been installed.

The statement further states that there is a need for a further R498 million to ensure installation of the water pipelines that will benefit the outstanding 55 villages in Giyani still without water currently. Mchunu and his deputies acknowledged this and are awaiting the documents that will support the release of such funding. The minister emphasised the need to work urgently and with speed while ensuring that all financial and legal prescripts are not undermined.

The department said an amount of R600 million is required in order to upgrade the Nandoni Water Treatment Works (WTW). “The upgrade will enhance the capacity of the Treatment Works, raising it from 60Ml/day to a whopping 120Ml/day. All this work is meant to ensure completion of the work on the Giyani Bulk Water Supply Project, ensuring security of bulk supply, while at the same time, the Water Services Authorities will be assisted to ensure optimal operation of their reticulation infrastructure. The efforts must lead to security of supply for communities and a better life for all.”