LIMPOPO – The Vhembe District Municipality (VDM) has awarded a R4.3m tender to Masheleni Trading and Projects to replace ageing water infrastructure and rebuild manholes in Makwarela Township’s Zones 1, 2 and 3.

Makwarela, situated near Sibasa and Thohoyandou in the Vhembe district, was established during the apartheid era and expanded significantly under the former Republic of Venda homeland government. Much of its water infrastructure is now old and in need of replacement.

VDM Mayor Miyelani Chauke handed over the R4.3m project to the contractor on October 28, and called for the work to be completed within four months.

Replacing ageing infrastructure

Chauke said ageing water infrastructure was a major obstacle to providing residents with clean water and stressed that the municipality expected the contractor to meet the deadline.

“We are optimistic that, by the end of February, communities in the affected sections and zones of Makwarela Township will be getting clean water from their taps.

“We will not tolerate shoddy work from the contractors and if you can’t finish the work in time, we will terminate your work.”

He said he would instruct the project manager to monitor progress regularly and ensure that the work was completed according to the agreed scope.

As the water services authority, the VDM was responsible for ensuring that residents received clean water, he added.

Chauke also urged the Makwarela water committee to cooperate with the contractor and help resolve any disputes that might arise during construction.

Hope for reliable water

Community leader and water committee member Shakes Mudanalwo welcomed the project, saying residents had struggled with unreliable access to clean water because of the deteriorating infrastructure.

He said the township was established in the 1970s and that much of its water network had since become dilapidated.

“We have been without clean water for quite some time and we used to buy water from households that drilled boreholes themselves, making life a nightmare for us,” Mudanalwo said.

He added that the community was ready to work with the contractor and encourage residents to comply with the by-laws of Thulamela Local Municipality and the VDM.