R64 million payment a drop in ocean, says Giyani water contractor

LIMPOPO – CV recently reported the Khato Civils closed and moved their site after the department’s continued non-payment.

Despite the department’s payment of R64 million last Wednesday, the contractor still hasn’t returned to the site, saying this payment is but a drop in the ocean in terms of what is owed to them.

According to Khato Civils CEO Mongezi Mnyani, the payment made last week showed just how far behind the department is in terms of paying them.

“The R64 million was for work done between January and February.

“The next invoice we sent was for work done between March and July. If the department failed to pay us the January/February invoice for the past nine months, just imagine how long they will take to settle their full bill,” he said.

Mnyani said the full amount owed to them comes close to R150 million more, ” a number which both our engineers and the department are still quantifying”.

Mnyani said the department is not doing them any favours by having paid them in part last week, “as these are monies owed to us for work that has been delivered”.

He said in light of this, the management of Khato has agreed in principle that they are not returning to the site unless for now, the remaining R44 million is paid.

“When all the money is paid, we will still need to sit with the department and discuss the R629 million needed to complete the project,” said Mnyani during an exclusive interview at Samrand, the company’s headquarters in Midrand.

He said the company could have completed the project ages ago had the department paid them on time.

“We have pleaded with the department on several occasions to pay invoices on time so that the community of Giyani can have clean running water on their doorstep. But that was not the case. Each time there is an invoice to pay, the department gives us the run-around,” he said.

Mnyani pulled no punches attacking the department’s Acting Director General, Debora Mochothli accusing her of “snoring on the job”.

He said they have requested meetings with Mochothli on numerous occasions without a response.

Last week the department avoided questions from CV, referring all queries to Lepelle Northern Water, a state owned utility responsible for bulk water supply in Limpopo on behalf of the national water department.

The Giyani Emergency Water Intervention has been branded by many as an ANC election gimmick poised to woo voters to vote in favour of the ANC in Limpopo.

The project was initiated by then President Jacob Zuma in 2004 and commissioned by then Minister, Nomvula Mokonyane in August the same year. This after the national department of water and sanitation together with the Limpopo provincial government declared the Mopani region a disaster area in 2009.

The declaration comes after more than five people died of cholera and other opportunistic waterborne diseases.

This was after the dilapidated waste water treatment plant in the area spilled waste in the Giyani River.

The river was used by communities in Giyani for household water, gardening and by domestic and wild animals.

In a media statement yesterday, Mochothli apologised to the people of Giyani saying they regret the delay in payment and hope that Khato Civils would go back to site and complete the project now that payment has been made.Andre and lourens ngwana hosue donations

Mochothli said the beneficiaries who would benefit from the Giyani project remained the department’s primary focus.

Speaking on behalf of the Lepelle Northern Water, the agency’s Spokesperson, Simon Mpamonyane confirmed that money was still owed to Khato Civils.

“Their claim, however, has not yet exhausted the 30-day mark. That means we are still working on the invoice, including the verification process. We are baffled that they refuse to go back to site.

“By failing to do so, they are holding us and the department at ransom.

“For the sake of the people of Giyani, I think they must go back and complete the project because when elephants fight, the grass always suffers,” he said.

capvoice@nmgroup.co.za