Mayor promises to tackle water challenges during budget speech
"We have also set aside R29,4 million to complete the yard connection project in Motlailana and to start new separate yard connection projects in Makgemeng and Taung."
BURGERSFORT – The Sekhukhune District Municipality’s (SDM) mayor, Stan Ramaila, said he wants to change the way the municipality implements water reticulation projects in the district.
Ramaila was speaking during the presentation of his budget speech for the financial year 2021/22 at Ga-Masemola on Thursday.
In the past years, access to clean water has been a challenge to the people of Sekhukhune.
“To this end, we have decided that going forward we will gradually do away with the communal system wherein our people get water from standpipes in the street.
“Instead, in several areas we have already begun with the connections of standpipes inside yards.”
He said R63 million has been set aside to complete the construction of reservoirs, bulk pipelines and reticulation in Driekop.
“We have also set aside R29,4 million to complete the yard connection project in Motlailana and to start new separate yard connection projects in Makgemeng and Taung.”
A total of R32,7 million has also been budgeted to complete construction of reservoirs and bulk line and yard connections in Driekop, Ga-Riba, Frans, Ga-Madiseng and Mandela.
“For the villages of Makgeru, Ratau and Makekane we have set aside R85 million for the continuation of the reticulation network, which will also connect into yards.
“R28,6 million will go toward completing the bulk line and service reservoirs in Schoonoord, Sengapudi, Manamane and another parts of Ga-Ratau.”
The mayor further said they will be investing R121 million over a two-year period for the upgrading of the Malekana Water Treatment Plant.
“The upgrading of the existing plant will complement water supply to the Jane Furse Cluster and the rest of Nebo Plateau.
“Refurbishment and commissioning of the Malekana to Jane Furse bulk pipeline, to unlock water supply from the De Hoop Dam, will be concluded in the 2021/22 financial year.”
Ramaila indicated that the total annual capital budget for the SDM district is R424 million for the 2021/22 financial year. The annual capital expenditure is funded through the R413 million in municipal infrastructure grant, R2,3 million in rural road asset management systems grant and R8,1 million in own revenue funds. From the R424 million total capital grants, an amount of R413,6 million is set aside for the municipal infrastructure grant. This allocation will go toward both the completion of numerous water infrastructure projects that are under way already and starting new projects.
