LIMPOPO – Mopani District is considering constructing new dams to address water shortages in Giyani after negotiations with ZZ2 to remove blockages in water streams supplying the Middle Letaba Dam seemingly failed.

Following last year’s visit by former Minister of Water and Sanitation, Senzo Mchunu, the government directed ZZ2 to dismantle certain catchment dams that were preventing water from reaching the Middle Letaba Dam.

However, ZZ2 responded through legal channels, taking the matter to court, a process that could take years to resolve. In light of this, Mopani District Mayor Pule Shayi has proposed an alternative solution: building new dams to supply Giyani while the legal proceedings with ZZ2 continue.

While presenting the state of the district on Monday during a ministerial visit led by Deputy Minister for Cogta, Dickson Masemola, Shayi stated that the district was in discussion with the Department of Water and Sanitation to construct additional dams in the Majosi and Levubu areas to help supply water to Giyani.

“We have engaged with the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), and I know that the former minister of the department initiated an investigation into water licenses, which ZZ2 is currently challenging in court. While that issue is being handled legally, there are plans to construct additional dams near the Majosi and Levubu areas. These new dams will allow us to draw water from those areas and bring it to the Middle Letaba. We are working closely with DWS to find a permanent solution to the Giyani water crisis,” he said.

Meanwhile, Shayi disclosed that DWS was threatening to revoke Mopani District’s water authority due to alleged underperformance. This stems from a project in Maruleng, where DWS accused the municipality of failing to meet performance expectations.

“In Maruleng, we are working on a water project. After completing the drilling of boreholes and waiting for Eskom to energise them, the community vandalised the project,” explained Shayi, saying that the district had repaired the damage and waited again for Eskom.

“But the process takes time since Eskom follows its own programme. This delay ultimately affects the allocation of money, with the DWS expecting the project to be finalised at that stage. Now, if I must talk politics, DWS is using this delay to claim that Mopani is underperforming and is threatening not to appoint us as the water implementing agent,” he said.

Meanwhile, Tzaneen Mayor Gerson Molapisane told the gathering that it was time for municipalities to be granted water authority so they could manage water distribution themselves.

He argued that the current system was not working for them and that it could lead to a disastrous outcome, especially in Tzaneen. “Tzaneen is an area with great growth potential.

“I know that every time I raise this issue, some people are against it, but premier, by the next elections, if we have not addressed the water issue here in Mopani, we will have a problem,” said the Tzaneen mayor to the premier, who was part of the ministerial visit. Our people need water, and everywhere we go, we are told about it. If necessary, let all municipalities become water service authorities so they can better serve their communities. I will be their spokesperson if needed,” he said.