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The Vhembe District Municipality (VDM) has shown that it is serious about the water infrastructure in Makhado (Louis Trichardt). Pictured are members of the project steering committee that convened on 11 February in town. The committee comprises Vhembe officials, engineers, contractors and AfriForum. Photo supplied.

Vhembe serious about water situation

 

The Vhembe District Municipality (VDM) has shown that it is serious about the water infrastructure in Makhado (Louis Trichardt).

They have appointed a consulting engineer to upgrade the Albasini dam and borehole pumping systems. A progress report was presented before a newly convened steering committee on 11 February.

The consulting engineer, Muteo Engineering, presented a programme indicating that the “Albasini pumping upgrade” work should be commissioned and completed by July or August this year. Muteo Consulting was appointed by Vhembe to provide services within the Thulamela and Makhado municipalities under the Municipal Water Infrastructure Grant (MWIG) programme. The project at the Albasini Water Treatment Works is one of the projects funded by MWIG. The total cost of the programme will be just over R23million. Included are work at the two pump stations at the water treatment works, work at pump station 1, 2 and 3 (the pump stations between the Albasini and the Mowkop reservoir), the main pipeline from boreholes to the Bergh reservoir and civil engineering works at the Albasini pump stations.

Vhembe’s general manager of technical services, Mr Ratidzai Madimutsa, presented a progress report on activities, such as the construction of boreholes around Mowkop reservoir, the repair of 10 existing boreholes (to the southwest of town), the installation of security systems at all boreholes and pump stations, pipelines from boreholes at President Street and the caravan park to Bergh Street reservoir, the refurbishment of the Albasini WTW’s two pump stations and preventative maintenance. The first three activities are to be completed by April and the last three completed or implemented by August this year.

The chairperson and deputy chairperson of AfriForum Louis Trichardt, Mr Wally Schultz and Mr Duncan Campbell, sit on the project steering committee. Schultz was very positive about the meeting. “It is a very powerful committee, consisting of active role players in a management team who work on the ground and actually get the job done. This is not a talk shop. It consists of Vhembe officials, engineers, contractors and AfriForum. We are actively involved and they have respected our advice,” Schultz said and added that their constructive engagement policy was starting to bear fruits.

Limpopo AfriForum organizer Mr Morné Mostert arrived in Makhado (Louis Trichardt) on 12 February and paid a visit to the Mowkop reservoir the next day. “The people from Vhembe now thoroughly understand the infrastructure problems, and Vhembe and AfriForum have started to work together. What Schultz has achieved here with the cooperation regarding water, is a first in the country. Vhembe now has not only a long-term solution for water in the form of the future supply from the Nandoni dam, but they also have medium- and short-term plans,” Mostert said.

 

Date:20 February 2014

By: Linda van der Westhuizen

Linda van der Westhuizen has been with Zoutnet since 2001. She has a heart for God, people and their stories. Linda believes that every person is unique and has a special story to tell. It follows logically that human interest stories is her speciality. Linda finds working with people and their leaders in the economic, educational, spiritual and political arena very rewarding. “I have a special interest in what God is doing in our town, province and nation and what He wants us to become,” says Linda.

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