Contractor abandons bulk water project due to financial constraints

Countless bags of cement and concrete lying on the streets for years, trenches left open, water pipes rotting under the scorching sun and a reservoir plant abandoned are some of the remains of a stalling multimillion-rand bulk water project in Bakenberg, Limpopo.

The project was commissioned by the Mogalakwena local municipality in Mokopane. Work on the project is said to have started in April 2018 and was expected to be completed by October 2021.

But two years later, there is no sign of a contractor on site and construction work has come to an abrupt halt.

These are residents from 38 villages and 67 000 households whose only sources of water are fountains, rivers and dams in and around Bakenberg.

Villages which have been earmarked to benefit from the project are Basterspad, Bokwidi, Buffelshoek, Dikgokgopeng, Diphichi, Galakwenastroom, Harmasdal, Jakkalskuil, Kabeane, Kaditshwene, Kgopeng, Kromkloof, Lesodi, Leyden, Lusaka Ngoru, Mabula, Mabuladihlare 1, Makekeng, Malapile, Mamatlakala, Matebeleng, Nelly, Raadslid, Ramosesane, Rantakane, Skilpadskraal, Skrikfontein A and B, Vlakfontein and Wydhoek.

The stalled project has set tongues wagging among villagers and political parties alike. “This was one of the ANC’s election gimmicks,” said a resident, Gregory Nkadimeng of Kromkloof yesterday.

“Remember, the last general election in SA was in 2019. The project was launched 11 months before the election.

“The ANC used us to win the election and abandoned us a few months later.” Change Party is one of the opposition parties in Mogalakwena upset about the project.

“We are concerned that although R300 million has been allocated and probably spent on this project, the 38 villages and 67 000 households who are supposed to benefit from this project are still without water,” Lesiba Molokomme, Change Party provincial leader, said in a statement.

“People deserve answers as to why the promised project has not realised. We will write to the public protector and ask for investigations into this,” said Molokomme.

In response, the municipality said it was aware of the problems surrounding the project. “The contractor abandoned the project due to financial constraints.

He had too little money to complete the project,” said municipal spokesperson Malesela Selokela yesterday.

He said the project was budgeted at R168 million. Selokela added that the project was now a subject of investigations by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU).

“As soon as the SIU wraps up its investigations, we will advertise the tender again, appoint and begin with construction.”

ALSO READ: Hawks nab 15 Mogalakwena municipality officials and company directors