11 Aug 2019

 Ministry of Land Management, Water and Sanitation Services is aware of plans to move the Gamononyane-Molepolole NSC connection project to Water Utilities Corporation (WUC).

Mr Itumeleng Moipisi, the ministry’s assistant minister,  told Parliament that the office had been directed to initiate the transfer which was meant to fast track the project.

He was responding to a question from Molepolole South MP, Dr Tlamelo Mmatli, who had wanted to know if the ministry was aware of the planned transfer of the project to WUC. Confirming that the project was scheduled to commence in October, Mr Moipisi said design optimisation by Engineering International Consultant started in April and was expected to be completed mid-August.

 This, he said, would be followed by a tender process for procuring the works contractor, site handover in January 2020 and construction thereafter.

Mr Moipisi said the transfer would not delay the project because it was still at optimisation stage which would give all concerned entities the opportunity to conclude the relocation process.

He noted that the process was expected to take a maximum of two months, and that it could only delay the vetting of the Invitation To Tender (ITT) by at most two weeks. 

He added that time lost would be compensated by the relatively shorter WUC procurement process.

Assistant Minister Moipisi said the ministry was also aware of the extended water challenges in the Molepolole area as well as the existence of a pressure group called ‘Give us Water’ that once petitioned WUC.

He said it would be unfortunate if the community could engage in a civil disobedience protest to demonstrate their displeasure at the planned transfer of the project and the imminent delay because the intention was actually to expedite procurement and fast track construction works.

Mr Moipisi said the ministry would do everything in its power to ensure there were no further delays in the commencement of the project. 

Dr Mmatli had asked if the ministry was aware of plans to transfer the project to WUC and that it was scheduled to commence in October this year.

In addition, Dr Mmatli had asked if the ministry was aware that Molepolole residents were becoming increasingly disgruntled by continued delays in providing them with water and were as a result likely to engage in a civil disobedience protest.

He had also wanted to know what the ministry was doing to ensure there were no further delays in the commencement of the project and to avert demonstrations likely to emanate from its delayed implementation. ENDS