The Gert Sibande District Municipality has taken over the R200m project to upgrade the bulk sewer line and pump station at Ext 5, eMbalenhle.
According to Nhlakanipho Zuma, Govan Mbeki Municipality’s executive mayor, this step was taken after the municipality terminated a contract with the appointed service provider.
The upgrade began two years ago. Residents have, for a long time, complained about sewage spills in eMbalenhle. Zuma announced the plans for this project at his State of the Municipal Address (Soma) two years ago.
He said then that the municipality was attending to the sewage crisis, and most of their infrastructure budget was invested in sewerage projects.
During his visit to some problematic areas in eMbalenhle two years ago, Zuma warned contractors about shoddy work, accusing them of rushing the job just to get the money. He also said the municipality failed to perform its monitoring role.
However, the contractor appointed for the bulk sewer line and pump station project left it incomplete and the contract was terminated.
When addressing the Integrated Development Plan Forum meeting late last year, Zuma told stakeholders the municipality had terminated contracts with two companies appointed for sewerage projects in eMbalenhle and Charl Cilliers.
He said the municipality decided to part ways with the contractors responsible for building the wastewater treatment works in Charl Cilliers, and the contractor appointed to refurbish a sewage pump station in eMbalenhle.
The community still live amid the sewage. Many were baffled to see the contractor had left the excavated site full of water.
ALSO READ: Govan Mbeki Municipality will fix landfill sites when they have money
The newspaper asked Zuma about the future of this project and the pending sewage situation last week.
Zuma said the district municipality is now taking over the project and has appointed a consultant who will advertise to invite new companies to bid for the project.
This is not the first project left incomplete in eMbalenhle. The numerous other incompleted projects include road construction.
