Question NW1571 to the Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation
17 August 2020 - NW1571
Chabangu, Mr M to ask the Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation
By what date will her department ensure that the community of Maluti-a-Phofung will have access to water after she had pledged almost R200 million in her efforts to provide basic services when she travelled to Qwaqwa with a task team in February 2020 and yet the community still has no water together with many areas in the surrounds that have been without water for over 10 years?
Reply:
A series of multi-year droughts in South Africa has seen a number of small towns threatened by total water supply failures and the Free State province is no exception. Maluti-a-Phofung Local Municipality is one of the municipalities that were faced with drought challenges. Various drought intervention projects were identified to address water supply issues in the Maluti-a-Phofung Local Municipality.
The Sedibeng Water Board was appointed as the implementing agent for the priority projects identified. The projects were identified at a total estimated cost of R180 700 000.00. Due to the magnitude of the projects and limited funding, the projects are implemented over two (2) financial years. An amount of R54 034 700 was allocated for implementation of projects in the Maluti-a-Phofung Local Municipality in the 2019/2020 financial year. The Department of Water and Sanitation has allocated R126 665 300.00 in the 2020/2021 financial year for the completion of the projects.
A total of six (6) priority projects have been identified and are being implemented through the drought intervention programme. Table 1 below gives an indication on the progress of priority projects including the costs to date.
Table 1: Summary of Maluti-a-Phofung Local Municipality drought intervention projects
|
Local Municipality |
Project Description |
Communities to be served |
Total Project Budget |
Project budget for 2019/20 |
Project budget for 2020/21 |
Project Start & End date |
Status of Project |
|
FS:Thabo Mofutsanyana:Maluti-A-Phofung --FS194 |
Development of Ground water in Qwaqwa. Equipping of boreholes and package plant |
Qwaqwa |
R47 000 000 |
R10 000 000 |
R37 000 000 |
Start (Planned): Jan 2020 |
Phase 2 of the project is currently under construction. Two contractors have been appointed to equip five (5) boreholes each – total of 10. The project is currently in progress. The project is at 68% progress |
|
FS:Thabo Mofutsanyana:Maluti-A-Phofung --FS194 |
Immediate water supply in Qwaqwa: Procurement and leasing of water tankers and 5000 Jojo tanks |
Qwaqwa: (Population: 335,784) |
R50 000 000 |
R20 000 000 |
R30 000 000 |
Start (Planned): 21 Jan 2020 |
1349 out 2000 Delivered With only 353 Permanent Installations. The progress is at 40% progress. |
|
FS:Thabo Mofutsanyana:Maluti-A-Phofung --FS194 |
Construction of Comet to Ha Rankopane Pipeline (+- 5 km) |
Ha-Rankopane: (Population: 2,505) Mandela Park including industrial areas (Population: 1,506) |
R15 000 000 |
R5 000 000 |
R10 000 000 |
Start (Planned): 21 Jan 2020 |
3.7km of uPVC laid to date. The project is at 85% progress. |
|
FS:Thabo Mofutsanyana:Maluti-A-Phofung --FS194 |
Reversal – Increase Pipeline from 160 mm to 400 mm diameter (+- 3km) in Qwaqwa |
Qwaqwa: (Population: 335,784) |
R12 000 000 |
R5 000 000 |
R7 000 000 |
Start (Planned): 27 Jan 2020 |
1.5km of the 3km pipeline laid. The project is at 60% progress. |
|
FS:Thabo Mofutsanyana:Maluti-A-Phofung --FS194 |
Repairs of the Mangaung Showgrounds to Thaba Bosiu Pipeline (+- 16 km) |
Mangaung: (Population: 9,151) Thaba Bosiu: (Population: 2,935) |
R33 700 000 |
R5 000 000 |
R28 700 000 |
Start (Planned): 17 Apr 2020 |
PDR and Detailed Design Report completed and Approved. RFQ to appoint contractor in progress. 100% Planning and design. The project is at 42% progress. |
|
FS:Thabo Mofutsanyana:Maluti-A-Phofung --FS194 |
Water conservation and water demand management |
Qwaqwa: (Population: 335,784) |
R23 000 000 |
R9 034 700 |
R13 965 300 |
Start (Planned): 27 Jan 2020 |
PDR and Detailed Design Report completed and Approved. RFQ to appoint contractor in progress. The project is at 40% progress. |
|
Total |
R180 700 000 |
R54 034 700 |
R126 665 300 |
56% |
The six (6) priority projects are approximately 56% complete. The implementation of the projects began in January 2020, which was the last quarter of the 2019/2020 financial year. Five (5) out of the six (6) priority projects will be completed within the current financial year.
During the implementation of projects, water tankering was identified as an immediate intervention while project are still under construction. The Department of Water and Sanitation, through Sedibeng Water, contributed a total of 25 water tankers/trucks, each with a capacity of 16,000 litres through the Maluti-A-Phofung Drought Intervention Programme. The Maluti-A-Phofung Local Municipality has also allocated a total of 49 water trucks through their service providers.