A multi-million rand water reticulation project in Limpopo is failing to deliver, leaving communities waiting for water, six years after the R21 million project to resuscitate a dam, boreholes and pipelines at Mohwelere village in the Sekhukhune district was commissioned.
Authorities claim the project was completed, residents however are still using untreated water from nearby ponds and streams.
A donkey cart carries water from a water pond to various households at Mohwelere village in the Sekhukhune District. Most residents in the village use untreated water from streams and ponds, while the communal taps in the village remain dry.
Residents say the current situation is posing a health risk.
The community says attempts for intervention from the Premier’s Stanley Mathabatha’s office were a futile exercise.
Resident Bobo Makola says, “They say the project came and pacified people making them happy, but it has not yielded the water issues in the areas and any attempt to communicate with the Premier’s office is pointless. Scores of emails and reach outs have been acknowledged by the office but they don’t get back to residents in the area, some of the residents have lamented.”
Multi-million rand Limpopo water project fails to deliver:
However, Mathabatha spokesperson, Willie Mosama, says the matter was referred to the relevant water authorities.
Mosama says, “We can indeed confirm that the letter from this particular community has been received by the office of the premier. However, it is very important for that community to know that after receipt of that letter, it has since been referred to the Sekhukhune district municipality because they are the ones responsible for water provision in the area…”
“We urge communities to stop blaming the office of the premier for the functions which are not that of an office. The office of the premier is just the coordinator of government services but not a water service provider or water service authority,” adds Mosama.
The Sekhukhukhune District Municipality has yet to comment. -Additional reporting by Rinae Ramuada
