The Giyani Business Forum wants Water and Sanitation Minister Senzo Mchunu to appoint the Development Bank of South Africa (DBSA) to run the completion of the Giyani bulk water project in Limpopo.
Forum president Patrick Ritshuri said at the weekend it was time for the minister to make up his mind if completing the project was a priority.
“This is a project that has given Mchunu’s department a bad name. If Mchunu has the interest of the thirsty, poor community of Giyani at heart, then he knows what to do. He must just fire Lepelle Northern Water and appoint the DBSA to put the project to bed,” said Ritshuri.
Lepelle has become a liability to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s administration. It has, over the years, depended on government to bail it out. This project started at the budget of R502 million and then it increased to R2.2 billion and now it is R3.4 billion. It was planned to be completed in three years, from August 2014 to August 2017. But it was later extended with two years to 2019.”
Now, the project remained incomplete, another two years after the third postponement.
“All this should be proof that more money will still be embezzled. The people of Giyani will still be calling for clean running water,” he said.
“This utility has proven beyond any doubt that it does not have what it takes to deliver a project of such magnitude,” said Ritshuri.
Source: News365
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