Sekhukhune District Municipality acting mayor Sibongile Nkosi said this year’s draft budget for the 2024/2025 financial year includes R16 million from Twickenham Platinum Mine to assist with the water crisis in six Limpopo villages.
These funds will be allocated to the installation of new boreholes, repairs and replacement of required infrastructure, and connecting to existing water reservoirs.
This was after the municipality held a joint 2024/25 Draft Integrated Development Plan Budget and Public Participation with the elderly and special groups at Mabitsi village on Tuesday.
Nkosi said Modikwa Platinum Mine will assist four villages that have water challenges, at a cost of R4 million.
She further said the R1.7m from Sefateng Chrome Mine will see the installation and equipping of two boreholes through the Ga-Mampa water projects.
“The R1.5m is budgeted from Nkwe Platinum while R17m from Two River Platinum Mine will address water challenges covering 20% of the villages around its operations,” she said.
Meanwhile, residents of Polokwane have been without water since Tuesday.
Mogale Mosomane told the publication that they have been without water for more than 12 hours, adding that there was no sign of water tankers.
Municipal spokesperson Thipa Selala said Lepelle Northern Water was working on the replacement and rehabilitation of the Ebenezer pipeline which was completed within the scheduled time frame.
“The water supply could not be restored on Tuesday due to an unforeseen pipe burst that occurred along the Ebenezer line. The pipe leak has been successfully repaired,” said Selala.
He, however, cautioned that it would take some time before water supply was fully restored in the municipality and its surrounding areas after some repair work.
During the 8th Presidential Imbizo that was held in 2023 in Tubatse Municipality, President Cyril Ramaphosa allocated close to R25 billion to address the severe water crisis in the Sekhukhune district and surrounding areas in Limpopo.
Ramaphosa pledged to prioritise the implementation of water projects, even if it required direct intervention from the national government.
However, water crises persist in the area despite it being home to two large dams, Flag Boshielo and De Hoop.
Sekhukhune district, known as the mining hub of Limpopo, has the potential to become the mining capital of the country. However, residents in the area have struggled to reap the benefits.
High unemployment rates, limited access to tertiary institutions, illegal mining, crime, poor infrastructure, and water scarcity are persistent issues.
The Star