FREE STATE – The Minister of Water and Sanitation, Mr. Senzo Mchunu has reiterated his commitment to assisting Matjhabeng Local Municipality and other municipalities across the country in addressing the challenges they faced that hinder the provision of services to communities.
Minister Mchunu made this commitment during his visit to Free State early this week, where he met various water and sanitation stakeholders in the effort to improve water and sanitation provision in the province.
This comes after Matjhabeng Local Municipality presented an ultra-modern sophisticated security plan to prohibit the scourge of vandalism of infrastructure which has become a thorn in the flesh of many municipalities. The vandalism of water and sanitation infrastructure in particular has adverse effects on the provision of services to the people.
In a Green Drop report released recently by the Department of Water and Sanitation, it was reported that 10 out of the 11 Waste Water Treatment Works (WWTW) in Matjhabeng Local Municipality are in a critical state. All of these WWTW have been vandalised after they were left malfunctioning due to a lack of operations and maintenance.
The municipality reported to Minister Mchunu that theft and vandalism had become a major emerging challenge that they are battling to contain. Matjhabeng Executive Mayor, Cllr Thanduxolo David Khalipha said that looting and sabotage had overcome the municipality before his tenure.
“In the Auditor General’s report it was found that there was planned sabotage and malice involved in the decay of the municipalities infrastructure. The Auditor General himself has opened a case against the transgressors which is currently under investigation by the Hawks.”, said Khalipha.
In addition, Cllr Khalipha said the municipality will be appointing 160 security guards dedicated to securing the water and WWTW in Matjhabeng and further appoint a specialised unit that will look into the damaged infrastructure. The extent of the damage ranges from cutting of steel pipes, theft of motors, electric cables, fencing, tempering with telemetry systems and pressure control valves.
To curb vandalism for the plants that will be refurbished through DWS intervention, Matjhabeng will be placing various security measures in place. All refurbished plants will be fitted with monitored fencing, armed security, CCTV cameras with a central control room, facial recognition and fingerprint reader, automated number plate recognition system. Three layered fencing will also be set up at all sight and a review of municipal by-laws will ensue to clearly define public, private and municipal spaces.
These measures will be implemented in 3 phases and should run concurrently with the refurbishment and upgrading of the plants. “Matjhabeng will be a sterling example for the South Africa of how WWTW should be operated”, concluded Khalipha
Minister Mchunu reiterated that the municipality needs to account for the upgrades and do proper operations and maintenance so that the work done at the cost to taxpayer is not in vain.
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