No progress on Kampersrus water project after 6 years

The FF Plus’ councillor in the Maruleng Local Municipality (MLM), Pieter Gerber, has filed a complaint with the HRC after the promised that the Kampersrus water supply project would be completed by June. He said the project fell through the cracks, even after they met with the mayor of MLM, Tsheko Musolwa, on May 3 to find a way forward. “In 2010, a large-scale sewage treatment plant and water supply project, the Kampersrus water supply and sewage scheme, was started.

Since 2017, the project has been indicated as 98% complete in reports, but the right size transformer has been lacking. During a community meeting in May this year, the mayor and Paradise Shilowa, director for water services at the MDM, informed residents that the installation of the transformer would take place by June. On August 23, a community meeting was organised again where representatives of the MDM shone in their absence and the mayor could not provide answers,” said Gerber.

Also read: Residents frustrated by water shortages

Meanwhile, the community of Kampersrus has been without water for days. “The FF Plus requests the HRC to ensure that the project is completed so that the communities of Kampersrus and Schocia can get their basic right to water, as well as a working sewage treatment plant. “MDM must now be called to account for the violation of residents’ basic right to sufficient water and a clean environment to live in,” he added. On their Facebook page, MLM addressed the issues raised at the meeting in Kampersrus.

“In this meeting, it was confirmed by Gerber that the borehole which was not operational had been fixed and there are now two boreholes which (are) functional and as such the water challenges are very minimal. With regard to the supply of bulk water it was clarified and confirmed that for the current financial year 2023/24, MDM budgeted R19m to address the water challenges on a permanent basis,” it said.

Also read: ‘Empty promises’ for Kampersrus residents

The mayor further indicated that the Kampersrus Community Hall and the speed humps, among other issues, will be finalised soon as they are waiting for the financial year to commence in July. Regarding the delay in the construction of the Kampersrus internal road, MDM said that the delay was due to permission needed for indigenous to be removed.

“The project will be finalised as soon as the trees are removed and (we are) looking forward to extending it to the Mariepskop Primary School road as per the 2023/24 municipal budget,” said the mayor in the Facebook post. Herald contacted MDM spokesperson, Odas Ngobeni, with regards to the water project. At the time of going to print, a response was not received. An update will be published once MDM responds.