With concerns expressed by parliamentarians over the slow progress of the Giyani water supply scheme, the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) this week assured it will “hasten” the completion of the long-awaited project.
The Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation Portfolio Committee expressed its disappointment over the incomplete water scheme during a two-day oversight visit to the region.
The committee is assessing the efficacy of water and sanitation infrastructure and human settlement development projects in Giyani, where villagers have been without potable water for years.
“They found it unacceptable that despite a huge financial investment in the scheme, the villagers did not receive reliable potable water in their households,” the DWS said in a statement released earlier this week.
The committee found that bulk infrastructure was being developed by Lepelle Northern Water, however, the Mopani district municipality failed to develop requisite reticulation infrastructure to pump water from reservoirs to the villagers.
The DWS committed itself to working with Mopani district municipality and its implementing agent Lepelle Northern Water to fast-track the delivery of water to the affected communities of Giyani.
“We welcome the findings and recommendations of the Portfolio Committee and wish to assure them that we will work closely with Mopani and Lepelle to end the water woes of the people of Giyani,” said DWS infrastructure acting deputy director-general Leonardo Manus.
The committee further recommended that the three parties immediately engage communities and their traditional leaders and inform them about developments around the scheme.