Alex Matlala
LIMPOPO – FEAR and frustration continue to grip cash-strapped and drought stricken municipalities in the north and east of Limpopo which, coupled with wider water problems, are now posing serious health threats to millions of people.
In Vhembe and Giyani, two water sources have dried up one year after the South Gauteng High Court stopped the construction of a R284 million water reticulation project in the province.
The court suspended the construction of the multi-million rand pipeline project from the full up to the banks of the Nandoni Dam in Thohoyandou in Venda stretching over 67 km to Giyani. The project was awarded to a joint venture called Tlong Re Yeng Trading and Projects but the court granted an interdict suspending all construction work pending determination of whether due processes were followed in the awarding of the tender. Chairman for the Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation in Cape Town, Lulu Johnson, said the tender was awarded to a company with grade 1 level experience.
The Mopani region faces another serious water challenge capable to give rise to cholera and other dangerous waterborne diseases. The Mayor for the Mopani District Municipality, Nkakareng Rakgoale, confirmed the only two water sources for the drought-declared region, Nsami and Middle Letaba Dams, had dried up. He said the two dams are below 40 percent at present, posing a serious threat for nearly 1,9 million people in the region. The district’s Municpal Manager, Tim Maake, was suspended for failing to account for R210 million. Part of the money was earmarked for water-related projects in the region.
This is hardly four months after President Jacob Zuma handed over a R55 million water purification plant in Giyani. The plant will increase the volume of water pumped per hour to thwart the chronic water scarcity in Giyani and its 55 waterless villages. Zuma had earlier piloted the far-flung rural Muyexe area in Giyani for rural development where residents in the area listed water as their first priority.
A total of 21 boreholes were drilled but nearly now, nine years later, residents in Muyexe still drink water from the same source as domestic and wild animals. Two months ago Water and Sanitation Minister, Nomvula Mokonyane, committed over R100 million to improve the water situation in Mopani. This was followed by a visit from Limpopo Premier, Stanley Mathabatha, who promised the residents in Mopani the construction of the R2,4 billion Nwamitwa Dam. Mathabatha said the construction for the labour intensive dam would commence in the 2016 and 2017 financial years. Speaking to the Citizen newspaper yesterday, Chief Executive Officer for the Lepelle Northern Water, Pheneus Legodi, commented the region currently depends on ground water to bring water to residents. Legodi, who also doubles as chairman for the task team on water and sanitation in the area, said about seven boreholes were drilled in Nwamitwa and that residents were already drinking clean running water from it.
He further stated the Nwamitwa Dam would add onto the existing water flooding of the De Hoop and Flag Boshielo dams in Sekhukhune, Ebenezer and Tzaneen dams in Mopani and the Nandoni Dam in the Vhembe region. “Through our healthy relationship with the Polokwane Municipality, we plan to build a new reticulation plant, replace asbestos pipes and procure energy generators in Ga-Mphahlele near Lebowakgomo in an effort to help pump water from the Oliphant River during loadshedding. We appeal to residents to harvest rain water to supplement what they have from boreholes and store it in tanks. This will help hard hit, drought stricken areas until the situation is back to normal,” urged Legodi.
