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Minister Mahlobo kick-starts next phase of Vaal River clean-up
Deputy Water and Sanitation Minister David Mahlobo is vastly increasing pressure on Rand Water to expand work faster on the Vaal River sewage clean-up project - and has not ruled out criminally charging ELM as the cause of the pollution.
Mahlobo co-chaired the large gathering with ELM Executive Mayor Sipho Radebe whilst Lead Administrator Gilberto Martins – a Gauteng Province appointee overseeing certain elements of ELM’s partial administration – also attended.
Seven contractor companies working on the project – for which Rand Water is the implementing agent – were also introduced to stakeholders at the meeting.
Rand Water was also instructed to fast-track development of a fully integrated project including all-important security aspects – with rampant cable theft and infrastructure vandalisation in the Vaal project area seen as the major barrier to successful completion of refurbishment.
Mayor Radebe emphasised the need to bring communities fully on board with the project and said sustained communication with stakeholder organisations was vital.
Mahlobo did not mince his words when dealing with his own Department – Water and Sanitation – Rand Water or ELM, reportedly saying publicly but without further detail to Mayor Radebe: “In fact Mr Mayor, we could still charge ELM on this sewage pollution.”
The Golden Triangle Chamber of Commerce (GTCoC) welcomed Mahlobo’s tough stance and emphasis on eliminating cable theft.
“The GTCoC has long said that it is pointless spending the billions required to refurbish water and sanitation infrastructure without dealing effectively in parallel with the scourge of highly organised cable theft.
“It does not matter how new a pump or transformer is if there is no power cable to drive it – or if the electrical infrastructure linked to it is vandalised or destroyed,” said Kritzinger. Kritzinger said innovative security measures must be developed and that traditional security companies and the SAPS and state organs were clearly not up to the task on their own.
“Security companies and the Police certainly have their role but we need something new to give a real cutting edge to reconfigured security interventions,” said Kritzinger.
“The organised business sector thus supported Minister Mahlobo in his integrated approach but time was of the essence,” Kritzinger said.
