132 009 residents of Musina from 192 villages and two towns in the Vhembe District depend on borehole water for their livelihood, and the supply of water is unsustainable due to a number of factors, including leakages on the bulk water pipeline, vandalism, load-shedding and aging infrastructure.
This information was presented to the Limpopo’s permanent delegates to the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) and members of the provincial Legislature during their joint oversight visit to Musina recently as part of the National Provincial Week of the NCOP.
The Director of Water Services at the Vhembe District Municipality, Mr Wiseman Maluleke, said that there are 51 boreholes which are all connected to an 8.1-kilometre bulk water pipeline that channels raw water from boreholes to the Nwanedi Water Treatment Works for purification. Mr Maluleke said that clean water is then pumped from this treatment works to various reservoirs that are connected to reticulation systems in all the villages and the two towns.
The delegation heard that there is a water supply deficit of eight megalitres per day due to leakages on the main bulk water pipeline. However, the delegation was pleased to hear that work is currently taking place in phases to refurbish the more than 41-year-old infrastructure on the entire water scheme. Also, the delegation welcomed a plan to build a dam in the in the area by 2030, which is envisaged to provide water on a sustainable basis in the future.
The National Provincial Week activities in Limpopo began officially on Tuesday, 12 September 2023, at the Parliamentary Village in Polokwane, wherein the delegation was briefed by various stakeholders, including the MECs of Public Works, Roads and Infrastructure; as well as Co-operative Governance, Human Settlement and Traditional Affairs; Department of Water and Sanitation; Vhembe and Mopani district municipalities; and the South African Roads Agency.
This annual programme of the NCOP is marked under a different theme each year, and the theme for this year is: Building viable provincial and municipal infrastructure for effective delivery of services to communities.
Justice Molafo
13 September 2023
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