Shoddy work leaves Limpopo town without water

Sub-standard work by a contractor has left a town without water for nearly a week, forcing a high school and several businesses to close and workers at a local power plant threatening a boycott.

“It is unacceptable for an educational institution to go this long without this basic necessity,” Hoërskool Ellisras principal Mark Louwies said in a letter to the Lephalale local municipality.

Apart from Grade 12s, he asked parents of other pupils not to bring their children to school due to the water shortage.

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Businesses can do little without water

The business fraternity also joined community members, who called on the municipality to restore the water supply without delay.

A dentist, Petro Buhrmann said she couldn’t work without water.

“This is causing a loss of income and in light of this, we are forced to reschedule appointments with our patients, who need dental care immediately.

“This is an urgent matter that requires urgent attention,” she said.

An oversight visit to the site where old asbestos pipes were replaced “revealed sub-standard wire connections to link the pipes and a replacement water pipe that was clearly too small to allow for adequate water flow once restored”, according to Sybil Niewoudt, DA caucus leader at the municipality.

The contractor also failed to install a stable bypass line, cutting off the water flow.

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Medupi workers have no clean protective wear

“This lack of water has serious consequences with the school and some businesses closed and there are Medupi Power Station workers, who indicated that they cannot go to work because they have no clean protective wear.

“The municipality dispatched water tankers and appointed a new contractor yesterday, who is trying desperately to restore the water flow.

“As the DA, we demand full disclosure by the municipal manager on the appointment of the contractor, whose incompetence left large parts of the town without water for five consecutive days and counting,” said Niewoudt.

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Municipality apologises to residents

Municipality spokesperson Conscious Chiloane apologised to all the affected residents.

“Currently, most areas have access to water supply, even though the pressure is still very low, especially in peak hours.

“Hoërskool Ellisras is badly affected as their supply to the network within the school is connected to the elevated tank installed by the school. For the tank to be fully functional, it requires full operation of the system.

“We are now working in collaboration with the contractor, the consultant and the local business people to ensure the full restoration of the water in all areas.