Water and Sanitation Committee meets department and entity over unfinished projects
The Department of Water and Sanitation and one of its entities, Lepelle Northern Water, today appeared before the Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation to answer questions relating to delays in the implementation of a number of bulk water supply projects.
While welcoming progress in the work done by the department to supply water and sanitation, the committee was not satisfied with some of the reasons provided for the delays in the implementation of projects, and attributed the challenges to “poor planning and failure to properly implement procurement policies”.
“At the heart of your problem in poor planning, if you fail to plan you are planning to fail. You don’t have planners, that’s the crux of what we are dealing with here,” said committee Chairperson Mr Mlungisi Johnson.
The committee also heard that the trenches that were left open in the Giyani Bulk Water Supply project have since been closed, after the death of a six-old boy, Nsuku Baloyi who fell into one of the open trenches.
Mr Johnson said the aim of the meeting was to be kept abreast and briefed by the department about the water projects across the country, in particular where there have been delays.
The committee was concerned that the delays may cost the taxpayer more money through lengthy litigation processes and the payment of contractors for waiting time.
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Sakhile Mokoena
Parliamentary Communication Services
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E-mail: smokoena@parliament.gov.za
