After facing several challenges that have delayed work on the Sedibeng water treatment plant, Gauteng Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs and Human Settlements MEC Dikgang Moiloa and Water and Sanitation Minister Gugile Nkwinti have signed an agreement with the Sedibeng/Vaal community steering committee.
Work is expected to resume on the project after experiencing delays mostly attributed to community protests, demands for employment and business opportunities for locals, and a budget shortfall during Module 6 of the project.
The agreement will ensure that the Emfuleni community and residents in the surrounding areas are consulted, through the steering committee, on the possibility of local jobs and other economic opportunities.
The deal, which remains contingent on the resumption of work on the project, followed an intervention last month by Nkwinti and Moiloa to find a lasting solution to complete the project and deal with the challenges facing the district of Sedibeng.
As part of the agreements, a new plan will make available a budget to complete Module 6, which now also includes landscaping, by February or March next year, followed by the start of Module 7.
Moiloa says government also notes the steering committee’s concerns over a preference for the employment of “outsiders” over local people and its request that local job seekers be trained for Module 7.
Rand Water will resume the detailed design work for the next module, so that, when the budget is available, it will be “all systems go”, as planning had already been undertaken over the past two years.
The Department of Water and Sanitation is also processing payments for the service providers who are still owed money.