Residents still dry despite De Hoop
"In completion of the upgrading process, raw water from De Hoop Dam will be purified and supplied to a pipeline that feeds Burgersfort and the surrounding areas.
BURGERSFORT – Access to water is a major challenge to thousands of residents in the Sekhukhune region.
De Hoop Dam was designed to combat water challenges in the region since its opening back in 2014. Six years later and it seems the dream is still far from being realised.
During the recent State of the District Address by Sekhukhune District Municipality (SDM)’s mayor, Stan Ramaila he outlined that they will unlock the blockages in mega-water projects such as Moutse Bulk Water Supply, Mooihoek Scheme, Nkadimeng Scheme, De Hoop Scheme and Ga-Malekane Bulk Pipeline.
Residents posed the question to Steelburger/Lydenburg News; what is really stopping the dam from supplying water to locals?
Ramaila also admitted that provision of this resource has been a challenge to locals. “We have made a commitment during our inaugural address in 2016 that we will move with speed towards sustainable provision of basic services. And we are therefore mindful of the fact that water in our municipality has for so long been a major challenge.”
Although the De Hoop Dam Pipeline is yet to be fully completed, the mayor said since 2017 a number of villages have begun benefiting from water provided by the main pipe from the dam, namely Mpelegane, Maepa, Ratau, Maphopha, Rantho, Masha, Malekana and Maseven.
“This is notable progress, as the dam’s provision is beginning to reach villages,” he said.
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However, one might wonder why the villages from Burgersfort and Steelpoort, such as Tukakgomo, Phasha Mampuru and Praktiseer are yet to taste a drop from the flagship dam.
SDM’s spokesman, Willy Mosoma said, “The situation regarding water from De Hoop to Jane Furse is not the same as that from the dam to Burgersfort.
“What is happening is that a bulk pipeline aimed at supplying raw water to Steelpoort Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) has since been completed. Currently, SDM is awaiting finalisation of internal processes with the Development Bank of South Africa to upgrade the Steelpoort WWTP.
“In completion of the upgrading process, raw water from De Hoop Dam will be purified and supplied to a pipeline that feeds Burgersfort and the surrounding areas.
“The upgrading process might take a little longer than expected, and we call on all our communities to be patient with SDM, while all due processes towards the upgrading of the WWTP are followed. We apologise for any inconvenience caused by this delay.”
De Hoop Dam cost taxpayers about
R3,5 billion and was officially opened by Jacob Zuma. During its opening it was reported that the dam was erected for two primary purposes.
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“The first is to supply water to the towns, industries and poorly serviced rural communities in Sekhukhune, Waterberg and Capricorn districts of the Limpopo province. Secondly, the dam was to supply water to the mines in order to help unlock vast mineral deposits, mainly in the form of platinum group metals found in the region,” Zuma said during the opening.
The dam is currently not succeeding in these two primary purposes.
“We plan to promote community participation and beneficiation, environmental conservation and unlock socio-economic potential of the water resource. And so far we have commissioned a feasibility study on aquaculture development in the De Hoop and Flag Boshielo dams.
“We have already appointed Urban Econ Development Economists to conduct a feasibility study at the two dams. The service provider submitted the final reports in October 2018.
“We are in the process of handing over the studies to Sekhukhune Development Agency to secure operating partners and investors in order to commercialise the project.”
