Question NW17 to the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure

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08 July 2019 - NW17

Profile picture: Lees, Mr RA

Lees, Mr RA to ask the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure

(1) With reference to the reply of the Minister of Police to question 3737 on 15 January 2019, (a) what are the (i) dates, (ii) details of contractors and (iii) costs of the latest renovations done at the Van Reenen Police Station in KwaZulu-Natal and (b) what number of days has it been since the renovations were last done at the specified police station; (2) has the police station been without water; if so, what are the details of why the police station did not have water; (3) (a) what are the reasons for (i) there being no permanent supply of clean water to the police station and (ii) the lack of permanent water supply not being resolved and (b) what arrangements have been made to provide a permanent supply of clean water to the police station?

Reply:

The Minister of Public Works & Infrastructure:

(a) (i) The completion date for the Van Reenen Police Station in KwaZulu-Natal was 07 November 2016.

(ii) The name of the contractor who finished the project was Emcakwini Construction & Fencing CC.

(iii) The cost of the renovation was R8 750 523.65.

(b) The number of days since the last renovation is 2 years, 7 months and 17 days (as at 24 June 2019).

2. The police station has had very limited water supply due to the following reasons:

(a) from an altitude perspective, the police station is built in a mountainous area and during the low rainfall season (i.e. winter months) the yield (water supply) of the boreholes drops considerably, as a result of the low water table;

(b) the existing water supply installation consists of 3 boreholes; 2 boreholes are approximately 50 metres outside the fence on the south eastern side of the police station, and a third is in the brick building between the houses in the precinct. All three boreholes were equipped with submersible pumps. The boreholes pump into a 24 000 litre steel tank, which is housed on an elevated (concrete) tank stand, which then supplies the police station with water.

3. (a) (i) There are various reasons that contribute to the police station not having permanent supply of clean water, due to the following circumstances:

  • The police station is situated remotely, across the N3 and in a mountainous area that does not have bulk municipal water supply.
  • The non-availability of bulk municipal water supply with sufficient pressure is the reason why the police station is fed through 3 boreholes.
  • The 3 boreholes, which are placed at 3 different strategic areas are not effective due to the low water table. The continuous recurrence indicates that there is not enough water yield due to the low water table in the mountain (especially in winter and low rainfall season).

(ii) The lack of permanent water supply is currently not resolved as the local municipality does not have a water bulk supply network with adequate pressure feeding the police station. The existing municipal bulk water supply pipeline runs on the opposite side of the N3 whereas the police station is situated across the N3 without access to the municipal supply; hence the use of boreholes.

(b) In order to provide a permanent supply of clean water supply to the police station, an inter-governmental agreement shall be put into place. The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure has commenced with an investigation into the permanent supply of clean water supply to the police station by entering into talks with SANRAL and the UThukela District Municipality, with a view to securing an agreement on the modalities to supply water from the municipal bulk water, through a new proposed pipeline that crosses the N3 servitude to feed the police station. At this stage it is anticipated that an inter-governmental agreement will be in place within a period of six months. The process is at an early stage and after the inter-governmental agreement has been reached a feasibility study will be necessary to define the scope, costs and implementation timelines prior to registration of a project for design and implementation.

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