Minister Mokonyane and municipal counterparts turn the sod for the second phase of the Lushushwane Bulk Water Supply Project
The Department of Water and Sanitation, led by Minister Nomvula Mokonyane, together with the Executive Mayors of Gert Sibande District and Chief Albert Luthuli Local Municipalities, did a sod turning this morning to mark the beginning of phase two of the Lushushwane Bulk Water supply Project.
The Minister and her entourage also did a site visit to assess the progress made on phase one of the project.
In her address, Minister Mokonyane referred to the Presidential Summit on Local Government that sat on Thursday 06 April, with particular emphasis on the Back to Basics programme, whilst ensuring that the ideals of the National Development Plan (NDP), Vision 2030 becomes a reality.
Minister also said, “all the work that we do is meant to develop the lives of women, girl-children, and more so the youth, particularly the Africans who were always at the tail-end of the services value chain.”
Minister Mokonyane said “we are here to ensure that this bulk supply project really is off the ground because it is vital for the socio-economic progress of at least 16 000 people in the vicinity. It is a scheme that is also cognisant of all kinds of growth, including economic and population”.
The scheme in all its phases is valued at R90 151 000 (ninety million one-hundred and fifty-one thousand rand). The communities which will benefit from the scheme on completion include: Bettysgoed, Smithfield, Oshoek, Lochiel, Robinsdale, Aankomst, Pampoen, Houtbosch and Hartbeeskop.
The project has brought to the fore the possibility of what can be achieved through conscious Inter-Governmental Relations. Whilst the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has provided the funding, the Gert Sibande District Municipality is the Implementing Agent.
As the scheme continues to operate, there needs to be a way of ensuring that the infrastructure does not collapse, that being through continuous operations and maintenance.
The availability of water must also impact upon better sanitation solutions. Teams will be set up to ensure that in the next two months a plan be put in place to look at how sanitation services can be improved.
On expressing the necessity to protect infrastructure, Minister Mokonyane made the point that it is essential to recognise that the infrastructure in place is meant to service all members of the community.
Each member of the community has an equal responsibility to protect all water and sanitation infrastructure, together with all other infrastructure that supports communities.
For more information contact:
Themba Khoza
Cell: 082 600 6555
