Completion of water projects is prioritised
The Nkomazi Local Municipality (NLM) has prioritised the completion of water projects within the current financial year.
SCHOEMANSDAL – The Nkomazi Local Municipality (NLM) has prioritised the completion of water projects within the current financial year.
This follows the appointment of the water board by the government on Thursday August 21. It has been approved by the NLM council members on the same day.
According to the spokesman for NLM, Mr Cyril Ripinga, this appointment will assist the municipality in implementing water projects.
He said, “With its vast experience the water board will surely assist the municipality to implement water projects. We should be building roads in Boschfontein and Mbuzini, however, we have rather prioritised the delivery of water services. We have taken the money allocated for the construction of bus routes and directed it towards water projects.”
Ripinga furthermore announced the installation of steel pipes in areas such as Block B, where illegal water connections were prevalent.
“We will install steel pipes in Block B in a bid to curb illegal water connections. We will also build a two mega-litre reservoir for the Joe Solovo community. Access to water is more critical than roads, however, we are not cancelling these road-construction projects. We are only postponing them for the upcoming 2015/16 financial year,” explained Ripinga.
During the MEC for cooperative governance and traditional affairs (COGTA), Ms Refilwe Mtshweni’s visit, she expressed her confidence in the government’s plan to deliver water to the communities in the NLM. Mtshweni visited several water projects to monitor their progress as part of her role to oversee.
She was accompanied by the Nkomazi executive mayor, Cllr Thulisile Khoza and several other councillors. The municipality had commissioned several water projects in various villages to improve the supply of water.
These areas included Kamandulo, Mbuzini, Vlakbult, Masibekela, eNgwenyeni, Schoemansdal and Mzinti. Mtshweni said the projects would address the water backlog experienced by some communities.
“Progress is well underway to complete the reticulation of water in these villages. These projects will augment the supply of water in the identified areas once completed. Therefore we appeal to the communities to exercise patience until they are completed,” Mtshweni concluded.
