Question NW2168 to the Minister of Water and Sanitation
11 January 2022 - NW2168
Moteka, Mr PG to ask the Minister of Water and Sanitation
What alternative solutions will his department provide to assist the community of Sekhukhune District Municipality in Limpopo who are still without water, even after more than R4 billion was spent on the De Hoop Dam construction?
Reply:
The De Hoop Dam was completed in 2014 with the first section (40km) of the primary bulk pipeline to Steelpoort (ORWRDP Phase 2C). The construction of secondary bulk pipeline from Malekana Water Treatment Works (WTW) started in January 2009 in anticipation of distributing water to the villages within Nebo Plateau from the De Hoop Dam.
The implementation of Nebo scheme was structured in a phased approach. The first phase of the project was completed in December 2011 but was not commissioned due to delayed completion of remaining phases of the Olifants River Water Resource Development Project (ORWRDP).
The Jane Furse pipeline from Malekana Water Treatment Works to Jane Furse was partially commissioned and is operating at 4 Ml/d as most of the bulk infrastructure is still in progress. The scheme is currently serving eight villages, including Ga Malekana, Ga Masha, Ga-Maepa, Makakateng, Mphana, Mpelegane, Maphopha and Ga Rantho.
The Sekhukhune District Municipality (SDM) is in the process of kick starting the commissioning process of the pipeline from Malekana to Jane Furse which will supply an additional 42 villages.
The Sekhukhune DM has concluded the technical report for the upgrade of the Malekana WTW from 12Ml/d to 24Ml/d to align with bulk distribution projects. However, funding remains the challenge as the Municipal Infrastructure Grant is fully committed.