JOHANNESBURG – Fresh calls have been made for the abandoned Giyani Water Project in Limpopo to resume immediately after a boy drowned at the construction site.
The six-year-old fell into a trench that was left open allegedly by Khato Civils, a company contracted to complete the water project.
The boy was reportedly playing with his friends in the neighborhood when he fell into the water on Saturday.
The abandoned trench at the Homu village in Giyani in which 6-year-old Nsuku Mhlongo drowned has allegedly been left open for two years.
Khato Civils’ engineers never finished the work, which included laying water pipes in the area.
The project was put on halt a few months ago due to non-payment from the cash-strapped Water and Sanitation Department.
The Mopani Municipality ‘s spokesperson Witness Tiva says: “What we want to see at the end of the day is for that project to be completed and be handed over to us so that we can start supply water to our communities.”
But Khato Civil’s Mongezi Mnyani says as soon as they receive the money, work can resume.
The Water and Sanitation Department says it’s working with Treasury to finalize arrangements to make more money available.
Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosa says the government has turned its attention to sort out issues concerning the Giyani Water Project.
Ramaphosa says the national government has intervened.
“I think of our people in Giyani who are still waiting for better water to flow through their taps; that we’ll also do. This we’ll do as we grow the economy of our country.”
The president was speaking at the Moses Mabhida Stadium at the weekend during the African National Congress (ANC) election manifesto launch.
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