Minister Mchunu upbeat about Dinokana water project as work advances
The Minister of Water and Sanitation, Senzo Mchunu says he will ensure that the ‘Operation Bulela Metsi’, Programme set up by his Ministry, North West Provincial and Local Government meets its obligations to the people of Dinokana and ultimately the whole province. The Minister said this during a Sod-turning of R106 million Dinokana Water Supply Intervention Project implemented by Magalies Water in Ramotshere Moiloa Local Municipality, on the 17 November 2023.
The Dinokana Water Project is one of the 27 water and sanitation projects under the ‘Operation Bulela Metsi’ that were unlocked and reprioritised as a result of intergovernmental interventions led by Minister Mchunu and the North West Government early this year.
Minister Mchunu, accompanied by Deputy Minister Judith Tshabalala, North West Premier, Bushy Maape, Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality Mayor, Cllr Khumalo Molefe, Ramotshere Moiloa Local Municipal Mayor, Cllr Dinah Pitso, Magalies Water Board Chairperson, Dr Lydia Sebego, community veterans, Boora Moiloa Traditional Council, and local chiefs, conducted an oversight at the construction sites of the water project and met with the community of Dinokana.
The delegation was taken through the ‘sacred’ Dinokana eye, a natural spring where the source of the water and the pump station are located and also conducted a walk about at the site where a 15 Kilometre bulk pipeline is being laid.
Minister Mchunu said through the intergovernmental structures set in the province and the constitutional mandate of each institution, the programme will ensure that every household have access to water, and through a standpipe, and that people needed to be patient as the projects are being implemented in phases.
“We are happy that there is progress and that ultimately, water will reach everyone who needs to benefit from the project. This is one of the 27 projects under Operation Bulela Metsi. We are now here to point to the work that is currently being carried out here. Refurbishing the pump station is critical so that all the pumps are working optimally in order to pump the required quantities and be able to meet the demand of these communities in the four wards.”
The project scope underway entails the refurbishment and upgrade of the Dinokana Rural Water Supply infrastructure which consists high lift pump refurbishment and upgrade from 2 Ml/day to 4 Ml/day, refurbishment of boreholes, upgrading of spring water pump station and pipeline, refurbishment of the distribution system up to the bulk water reservoirs and constructing an additional 2 Ml reservoir to provide additional gravity pressure.
Already over 1000 meters of the bulk pipeline has been laid, work on the refurbishment work has commenced and work on the bulk distribution network has also commenced.
Addressing the citizens of Ramotshere Moiloa, the Minister said that currently under ‘Operation Bulela Metsi’, 27 water and sanitation projects are currently underway throughout the North West Province and that Dinokana Water Supply Intervention Project is one of them.
Dinokana Water Supply Intervention project is being implemented in 4 phases:
- Phase 1- Bulk Pipeline Distribution construction including reservoir and Refurbishment to Existing Transmission lines.
- Phase - 2 Refurbishment of Boreholes and Additional Drilling and equipping of boreholes.
- Phase 3 - Reticulation and Standpipe at 200m radial distance within village boundary.
- Phase 4 - Upgrading pumpstation and pumping line to allow both reservoirs to be fed by pumpstation. c. Objective is to provide an additional 35 000 residents with standpipes.
Minister Mchunu said that with the current 17 local people benefiting through Dinokana water supply intervention project, 5 more job opportunities will in future be added to benefit 25 locals each per ward. He further encouraged those with illegal water connections to report to the local mayor to be legally connected for free, this way they won’t face the wrath of the law.
He further called on the community to safeguard the infrastructure and said that connecting water illegally damages the pipes and further assigned one of the local youth in Dinokana to lead in the fight against vandalism of the water infrastructure.
Dinokana Water Supply intervention project which commenced on the 30 September 2023, is expected to be completed on the 30 September 2024.
‘Operation Bulela Metsi’ water and sanitation intervention programme, was introduced in July this year by Minister Mchunu and the North West Provincial Government. The programme is a culmination of a series of intergovernmental engagements among the three spheres of government, business, traditional leaders and community structures on the water and sanitation challenges faced by the province.
The programme is an outcome of the hard work carried out by technical task team established by Minister Mchunu and the North West Premier, Bushy Maape to assess and bring in practical solutions to the state of water and sanitation services provision in the province. The task team identified various interventions in the short, medium and long-term as measures that will address the challenges and ensure sustainable provision of water supply and sanitation services throughout the province.
For more information, contact Wisane Mavasa, Spokesperson for the Department of Water and Sanitation on 060 561 8935 / mavasaw@dws.gov.za or Kamogelo Mogotsi, Spokesperson for the Ministry on 076 523 0085.
