Polokwane mayor asks water department to improve its sense of urgency
Polokwane Mayor John Mpe said he had been let down by the Water and Sanitation Department before when it failed on an earlier promise to complete a water treatment plant of ten megalitres within three months.
POLOKWANE – Polokwane Mayor John Mpe has requested the Water and Sanitation department to improve its sense of urgency in coming up with solutions.
Supported by Deputy Minister, Judith Tshabalala in his statement during a stakeholder engagement last Thursday at Bolivia Lodge, Mpe said he had been let down by the department before when it failed on an earlier promise to complete a water treatment plant of ten megalitres within three months.
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Officials from the municipal area’s bulk water supplier, Lepelle Northern Water, Capricorn Mayor Mamedupi Teffo and Water and Sanitation Minister, Senzo Mchunu were among those who participated in robust discussions around the shortfalls and progression in terms of the current water supply in and around the city.
Ahead of the talks, officials visited the Olifantspoort water treatment works that are meant to undergo refurbishment and upgrading from 60 to 120 megalitres per day in order to improve performance, capacity and to meet current and future water demands, according to Mchunu.
The treatment plant forms part of the Olifants/Ebenezer water supply schemes and serves as one of the lifelines for drinking water to Polokwane.
Noting the department’s previous shortfalls, Mpe warned: “What happened in Giyani should not be repeated in Polokwane”. Dubbed the Giyani bulk water immediate intervention, the project that was set for three years started in August 2014 has seen over 10 extensions and a budget ballooning from R502m to R4.5b.
Mpe requested Mchunu and his two deputies to “get the right people with the proper capabilities” to ensure that the project is completed successfully.
Currently, high-lying areas in Polokwane suffer sporadic water supply as a result of insufficient volumes being pumped to the city to meet the population’s needs. This is why increasing capacity to supply beyond 2024 is necessary, Mchunu remarked.
Recently, some residents in Hoog Street reported that they have been relying on municipal water tankers for eight years, as their taps often go dry for months on end.
“The municipality said we are in a high-lying area and that is why,” one resident said, with another adding: “We store water in buckets, especially to flush toilets.”
Mchunu said the delegation would return in August to announce timelines and a budget for the upgrade and refurbishment project.
