Dry taps for Limpopo folk at Christmas

Some Limpopo communities will have no water on Christmas Day, making it the 11th consecutive year of dry taps after the R4.5 billion Presidential Giyani Bulk Water project has failed to bring water to the 55 villages since 2014.

Mopani district municipality mayor Pule Frelimo Shayi apologised and explained why residents would have no water again.

The Giyani area has suffered water shortages for more than two decades.

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When former president Jacob Zuma visited the Giyani Waste Water Treatment Plant with former water and sanitation minister Nomvula Mokonyane in October 2014, several community members had been diagnosed with diarrhoea, typhoid, malaria, and cholera.

A few months later, Zuma ordered Mokonyane to turn the water situation in Giyani around.

The project, dubbed the Presidential Giyani Bulk Water, began in August 2014 with a budget of just over R500 million.

However, the budget escalated to R4.5 billion.

Over the years, the project faced constant scrutiny over alleged corruption.

The last minister was Senzo Mchunu, who was moved this year to head the police ministry.

The project has cost the government over R4.5 billion, but taps remain dry.

In July, the department said it was working to ensure the project was complete.

“The refurbishment of the Giyani water treatment works has reached its practical completion and the treatment plant is functioning optimally, producing 28.5 megalitres per day.

The plant now has the capacity to supply treated water to Giyani town and various villages under the Mopani district municipality,” said spokesperson Wisane Mavasa at the time.

Majodina’s Christmas promise falls short in Khakhala

The new minister, Pemmy Majodina, took over and promised that Phase 1 – reticulation would be put to bed before Christmas. But that is not the case.

While apologising to residents of Khakhala, outside Giyani, at the weekend, Shayi blamed the lack of capacity and slow pace by service providers as some reasons why the project could not be completed.

“President Cyril Ramaphosa is a good man. He gave us money to bring water to your village, but we have failed. For that, we are sorry. We are burying our heads in the sand with shame. We did not only fail you, but we have also failed the president. Please forgive us, for we have learnt our lessons,” said Shayi last Friday.

Shayi, who is also ANC Norman Mashabane regional chair, said out of the intended 24 villages, 13 now had water daily, four were receiving water at a slow pace, while seven villages would only get water before the end of February.

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