Corruption the reason for Giyani’s water delays
The Minister of Water and Sanitation, Senzo Mchunu says that corruption is a major contributor to the prolonged delays in providing the residents of Giyani with clean, running water.
This is after residents of Giyani took to the streets on Monday, October 3, and shut down the town stating that they have not had any running water for the last 28 years. Over the last 14 years, residents of Giyani were promised access to clean water with the still unfinished Nandoni Water Project, which was supposed to be completed at the end of September. The residents allege that they have been getting empty promises for a long time and want the Lepelle Northern Water CEO to resign.
In addition, residents want the Minister of Water and Sanitation, Senzo Mchunu to meet with them and want the Water Bill to be scratched. Mchunu has noted with great concern, the poster doing the rounds on social media, advising of a “Giyani Shut Down”. In response to the poster, Mchunu expressed the following: “The Giyani Water Project has always been a priority project for the Ministry; it is unfortunate and regrettable that it has taken this long to provide the people of Giyani with clean water but I want to assure the residents that we are hard at work and will see the project to completion.
Also read: September deadline for bulk water will be met
“We have been in Office for just over a year, yet we have managed to do more than what was done in the past three years – that should be an indication of our commitment to seeing this project to finality. The residents of Giyani and the local business forum, through the Mopani Multi-Stakeholder Forum, have been taken on board in respect of the progress of the project and its delays. We have remained transparent – both in respect of the progress and financials.
One of the issues which have caused a delay was addressed at one of the Multi-Stakeholder Forum meetings was the awarding of security contracts by the Department’s Construction North Unit. “This project has been and still is the subject of a number of investigations by the
Special Investigating Unit. “Corruption has been the major contributor to the prolonged delays and as we have repeatedly maintained – every cent is being followed and those entrusted with those functions will have to account.
“All we ask from the residents is their cooperation – we are committed to providing them with clean water as it is their basic human right and we will achieve this. We are appealing to those behind the shutdown to be realistic and acknowledge that water has arrived in Giyani. There are ongoing update briefings, and this represents progress that has never been seen before, therefore, request that we are given time to catch up and complete the project. I will in due course, go to Giyani to monitor progress and consult with all the relevant stakeholders,” he concluded.
Also read: Minister says Giyani residents will get water
According to a statement released, in Mchunu’s ‘One Year in Office’ media briefing on August 26, he gave a detailed update on the Giyani Water Project, stating: “On the Giyani Water Project, substantial progress has been made in respect of the pipeline from Nandoni to Nsami; we have 4km left for the connection. Work will get underway at the beginning of September to refurbish the existing waterworks. In Malamulele, we anticipate the reservoir to be completed and operational by February 2023”.
On his visit to the construction of the raw bulk water pipeline from Nandoni Dam to augment Nsami and Middle Letaba Dam in May, the minister stated that although work on the so-called Giyani Bulk Water Project had come to a standstill in recent years, 77.4% of the work has now been completed. The final date for completion was stated as September this year. “Currently, there is now just under 2km left, excluding the connection from the river to the dam – which is about 720 meters.
Owing to the delays which have plagued the project, including work stoppages that came about as a result of concerns raised by Chief Ramohva, which took three weeks to resolve, it should be noted that the Minister decided to intervene and speed up processes via the Department’s Construction North Unit. As things currently stand, progress is as follows: – Giyani Bulk Secondary Water Supply Intervention: 56.8% (the remaining works including connections to the reservoirs and refurbishment and construction of service reservoirs). – Giyani Wastewater Treatment Water upgrade and Phase 1 reticulation to 55 villages: construction to commence in November 2022. – Nandoni to Nsami bulk pipeline: just under 2 km left,” said Mchunu in August.
