Mkhize to assess Abaqulusi infrastructure projects

Thursday, May 2, 2019

Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Minister Zweli Mkhize will on Saturday assess progress in water supply infrastructure projects currently under construction in Inyathi and Bokwe villages of Abaqulusi Local Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal, during an oversight visit.

In a media statement, the Cogta Ministry said demand for services had increased in the areas over recent years due to a rise in formal and traditional dwellings.

“The eMondlo community is facing service delivery challenges due to an old waterborne sewer system, which is characterised by frequent pipe bursts, blockages, overflowing manholes, poor operations and maintenance of waste water treatment plant, and poor roads infrastructure,” said the Ministry in a statement.

Coupled with this was the inconsistent supply of clean running water as a result of dilapidated infrastructure. It was for this reason Cogta’s Municipal Infrastructure Support Agent (MISA), stepped in to provide technical and funding support to enable the implementation of projects aimed at addressing the critical needs of communities. 

“The construction of the water supply infrastructure project in Enyathi and Bhokwe villages entails investigation of raw water sources, design and construction of water supply infrastructure, which will enable the provision of waterborne sanitation to both villages, benefiting approximately 250 households,” Cogta said.

The project comprises the upgrading of the water reticulation infrastructure in the two villages. 

“The design and construction entails the laying of approximately 10km of water pipelines with a new reservoir and a Package Plant for purification of the raw water supply,” the Ministry said.

“The project will serve in the Enyathi/Bhokwe Villages and thus far, about 7.1km of Water Pipe Lines have been laid in Enyathi: 1.4km of Water Pipe Lines have been laid in Bhokwe and excavations for the Resevoir Site in progress.”

The other project entails the rehabilitation of sewer reticulation network which consists of 2200m of sewer reticulation, house connections and 36 manholes that will be serving 57 households in the Bhokwe Village as well as the waste water treatment works. This project will benefit the communities as they will have a functioning water borne reticulation. 

The Minister will engage and listen to challenges of communities to ensure a coordinated response to the service delivery issues. – SAnews.gov.za