The Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation will this week conduct an oversight visit to assess progress on the completion of the Giyani Bulk Water Project.
The Committee will also conduct an appraisal on the provision of quality water and sanitation in Limpopo Province.
The Giyani Bulk Water Project was initiated in 2014 and was envisioned to benefit close to 55 villages in the areas with access to quality water.
However, due to various delays and project challenges, the project has not reached completion and the Department of Water and Sanitation had informed the committee as part of its annual planning programme, that the intention was to complete the project in March 2023.
Committee Chairperson, Robert Mashego, said the visit will assess if the deadline has been met and if the residents are enjoying the fruits of government investment.
“The challenges faced in concluding the Giyani Bulk Water Project have been a sore point for the committee since its establishment in the sixth Parliament. We made a commitment to ensure a focused oversight on the project.
“Furthermore, this visit will ascertain if the department and its stakeholders had kept their promise and ensure access to clean quality water to those villages,” Mashego said.
Mashego added that through in-loco site visits, the oversight will also seek to assess the quality of workmanship at various project delivery sites.
This follows the accusations of shoddy workmanship when delivering various projects for government which results in more expenditure through rectification of projects.
Mashego said the committee will use the oversight to assess the quality of products delivered by the infrastructure development industry to the people.
“Above all, the committee will get a general understanding on the progress made in Limpopo in delivering quality water and sanitation projects. The committee remains of the view that access to water and sanitation is a basic right and lack thereof deprives people of their dignity and constitutionally guaranteed rights.
“The committee will use the first day for site visits to gain first-hand information on various project sites and the second day will be dedicated to engagement with government stakeholders, including the Department of Water and Sanitation, Lepelle Northern Water and municipalities,” the chairperson said.
On Tuesday morning, the committee is scheduled to visit Nsami Bulk Pipeline Project in Mavambe Village.
The oversight visit is in line with Section 55 (2) of the Constitution which empowers the National Assembly to provide mechanism to ensure that all organs of state are accountable to it. – SAnews.gov.za
Source: South African Government News Agency