Extensive water leaks set off alarm bells near Promosa

The shoddy workmanship on the water reticulation project for Promosa Ext. 4 has given rise to serious water leaks and real concerns among geo-environmentalists and water conservationists.
On 3 December 2013, Tlokwe City Council appointed T-Square Engineering consultants to design the water reticulation and monitor the performance of 9 EWP contractors under the Vukuphile Learnership programme, at a cost of R452 977. The contractors were awarded the R8 191 633 tender on 14 August 2014 and completed the work around February this year.
When the Herald visited the area 5 months later, there were large expanses of water from infrastructure leaks and the terrain was scarred with gullies. Residents say the leaks have been there for at least three months. If they are correct, and the churned up roads suggest that they are, it is safe to say that thousands, if not millions of kilolitres of water have already been wasted. That, when SA is currently in the stranglehold of the worst drought in two decades.
Large areas of KZN, the Cape and Bloemfontein have already implemented water restrictions and Mmusi Maimane, the leader of the official opposition has warned that ‘water shedding’ may soon be a reality because of neglected infrastructure.
At a local level, there are only 8 taps for all the residents of the neighbouring Marikana settlement, only one of which is still operational. This settlement and Ext. 4 are separated by a rocky outcrop. Marikana residents can climb on top of the boulders and see a fountain of crystal clear water spurt up higher than the average man is tall.
Obviously envious of the livestock on the other side that has access to unlimited water supply, residents have trampled out a path across the stones to get some, too.
But there is another issue that is even more worrying. Tlokwe City Council and the Dr K Kaunda District municipality have both spent and committed a significant amount of money on a dolomite risk management plan. Phase 1 was conducted in the 2009/10 financial year at a cost of R2.5 million. Another R22.8 million was spent in both 2010/11 and 2011/12.
The AGES group was tasked to assess the dolomite risk in Potchefstroom. It identified Promosa as one of the neighbourhoods that are affected by dolomite. The proposed Ext.4, while considered to be safe enough for development, is situated right next to a danger zone, underlain by dolomite.
According to the local geo-environmental company, 95 percent of sinkholes are man-induced and are caused by water leaks that make the dolomite unstable. Technically, sinkholes can be prevented to a large extent if managed properly, but not when massive volumes of water have been raising the water table for months.
In November last year, TCC cautioned residents of dolomite affected areas to immediately report even the most significant water leak to avoid the formation of sinkholes.
Its spokesperson, Willie Maphosa, did not answer the Herald’s questions about whether T-Square Consulting Engineers had done due diligence, or who is going to foot the bill for the exorbitant wastage over a protracted period of time. Neither did he explain why the infrastructure department had apparently allowed the situation to continue, unchecked, for so long.