POLOKWANE – Questions have emerged over whether the Seshego Water Treatment Plant was previously launched, following its official launch on Friday at the Ngoako Ramahlodi Hall, hosted by Polokwane Mayor John Mpe.

The event was attended by Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Dickson Masemola, Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina, traditional leaders and residents, some of whom were dressed in ANC regalia.

A long-awaited step for residents

For many Seshego residents, however, the event marked a long-awaited step towards a more stable water supply. In early 2024 and preceding years, taps in parts of Seshego frequently ran dry, forcing residents to rely on municipal water tankers and trucks operating at inconsistent and irregular hours.

The shortages affected small businesses, workers, learners and elderly residents.

Resident Judy Moswake, who attended Friday’s event, said she was pleased to witness the promise of a more stable water supply come to fruition after a difficult period.

Why some questioned ‘another launch’

Some guests and social media users questioned why the facility appeared to be receiving “another launch”.

Responding to the concerns, municipal spokesperson Willy Mosoma clarified that what residents recalled were milestones in a project spanning seven years, rather than previous launches.

“There were steps in the project which started in November 2019, reached practical completion in June 2023, and was officially commissioned in May 2024,” Mosoma said. He said these milestones were conducted publicly but were not launches.

The cost and capacity

The plant was delivered at a total construction cost of approximately R234m, comprising:

• R32m in municipal funding
• R202m through the Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant

With a design capacity of 10 megalitres per day, equivalent to 10m litres, the plant produces and pumps between 5.9m and 10m litres of treated water daily into the municipal system, the water minister remarked in July.

Who it serves

The facility treats raw water sourced from local assets, including the Seshego Dam, to provide potable water to Seshego and surrounding extensions.

It is expected to help stabilise municipal reservoirs and address chronic water shortages, serving approximately 91 500 residents.

Its distribution network supplies areas including:

• Seshego Zones 2, 3, 4 and 8
• Biko Park
• Extensions 71A and 76
• Legae la Batho
• Luthuli Park
• Parts of Blood River

The plant also pumps directly into key municipal storage facilities, particularly the Seshego and Krugersburg reservoirs, which regulate pressure and gravity-feed water to surrounding communities.