South Africa: Minister Mchunu Apologises for Missed Deadlines On Water Mission

“We’ll solely imagine within the minister when water is working in our villages” says Giyani girl

• The Giyani water venture was meant to be accomplished in 2017 however has been tormented by controversy and failure. This regardless of an estimated R4-billion in public funds spent on it. The deadline was then set for September 2022.
• Residents from over 50 villages throughout Giyani in Limpopo gathered on the neighborhood corridor on Thursday the place they had been addressed by Water and Sanitation Minister Senzo Mchunu.
• This follows a protest on 3 October, the place protesters shut down a part of the city to demand that the Giyani water venture be accomplished.
• At Thursday’s assembly Mchunu apologised for not assembly the September deadline and acknowledged that corruption had hampered the water venture’s progress.

“We not belief authorities officers who come to deal with us about water,” says Fanuel Mashaba from Nzumele village in Giyani, Limpopo.

“Most Nzumele residents get water from rivers by which used diapers are dumped. Residents can not afford to purchase water each day as most are unemployed,” says Mashaba. On Thursday he was amongst representatives from over 50 villages throughout Giyani who gathered on the neighborhood corridor the place they had been addressed by Minister of Water and Sanitation Senzo Mchunu.

The minister was there to replace communities on initiatives meant to offer and enhance water entry to villages. This follows a protest on 3 October, the place protesters shut down a part of the city to demand that the Division of Water and Sanitation fulfil its guarantees on the Giyani water venture.

We reported in June on how the consequences of tender irregularities and alleged corruption within the 2014 Giyani bulk water project proceed to be felt by a whole bunch of hundreds of individuals within the Mopani District. The Giyani water venture, which was presupposed to be accomplished in 2017, has been tormented by controversy and failure regardless of an estimated R4-billion in public funds spent on it.

In Could this yr, Mchunu promised that the Giyani venture can be accomplished in September. However this date got here and went, and nonetheless households are with out entry to wash working water. The Mopani District Municipality had mentioned that it had provisioned R540-million for the 2022/23 monetary yr in direction of water and sanitation initiatives.

This week, Giyani residents had been extra sceptical throughout Mchunu’s newest go to to Giyani. Mchunu once more promised that the venture could be accomplished quickly, however didn’t set any dates for when households would get water.

He apologised for not assembly the September deadline and acknowledged that corruption had hampered the water venture’s progress.

“A part of the delay which impacted our schedule to finish the pipeline was two Vhembe District conventional leaders who’re in opposition to the pipeline passing via their areas from Nandoni Dam [in Vhembe District] to Giyani [in Mopani]. Whereas we couldn’t have foreseen these challenges, we are actually higher outfitted and hope to finalise the excellent points,” mentioned Mchunu.

“As a precautionary measure, cash for the entire venture goes to be withheld by the division. It’s going to solely be launched when a job is completed,” he mentioned. Mchunu mentioned the division is investigating the alleged corruption and believes the perpetrators can be held accountable.

A resident who requested to not be named mentioned: “Since 2014 there was a variety of speak about water. Most ministers go to us to offer time frames for when the water venture may be accomplished, however up to now we’re nonetheless with out water. We’ll solely imagine within the minister when water is working in our villages.”