16 Feb 2022

Water Utilities Corporation (WUC) in Mahalapye has secured funding of P291 million for a long-term connection plan of Tswapong South villages to Mahalapye Phase II project.

Mahalapye Sub-district Council chairperson, Mr Bantlhasetse Merementsi informed the fourth session of the sub-district virtual meeting, on Monday.

The plan, he said, started in November 2020 and was expected to be completed in May 2021, but due to delay in procurement, it had since been revised to July 29.

“As at December 2021 the project progress was at 47 per cent, against the original expected 70 per cent, with project expenditure standing at P65.5 million, which is 28 per cent of the total funding,” he added.

Giving an update on the sub-district’s wastewater situation, the chairperson said the wastewater scheme was functioning properly and still had a buffer to connect more customers, whilst the Shoshong wastewater scheme was not working well.

Shoshong Wastewater Scheme, he said comprised of 66km gravity and 52km vacuum. Due to lack of capacity, he said WUC was experiencing serious challenges in operation and maintenance of the vacuum portion, resulting in slow movement of waste through the system.

He said WUC was doing all it could to effectively manage the system and had since resorted to engaging its vacuum tanker to regularly empty hot spot areas.

Additionally, to assist in coming up with a lasting solution for Shoshong sewerage scheme, he said funds amounting to P2 million were secured.

“Unfortunately, only one company tendered and was unsuccessful, therefore rendering the corporation to either re-tender or do a direct appointment for the services,” he said.

However, he expressed gratitude that the upgrading of Mahalapye Water Treatment Plant (MWTP), which entailed the design, supply, installation, construction and commissioning of the Mahalapye Treatment Plant

Expansion project construction, was completed on February 13, after an approved extension of 52.2 days necessitated by rains.

Additionally, he said Mahalapye village network expansion additional work- Contract I, which was put on hold due to lack of funding, was at tendering stage.

This project, he said was a construction of 20 megalitres concrete reservoir, upgrading of MWTP booster station and associated works and servicing of Flowertown II, adding that WUC Projects Office had been given a go-ahead to implement the project in the 2022/2023 financial year.

Additionally, Mr Merementsi said the Expedition of North South Carrier (NSC 2.2) scope, which also included 20 megalitres raw water concrete reservoir and associated works projects was also currently undergoing  tendering process.

The project, he said was also expected to be implemented during the 2022/2023 financial year, with sub-projects including; construction of a water treatment plant at Tewane junction to supply Tewane, Radisele,

Mogome and Mokgware villages and also connection of Dibete, Mookane and Leshibitse to Masama Well field.

The villages of Setsile, Mokoswane, Kudumatse, Makwate and Dovedale, he said would be connected through the Mahalapye III project, whose design was done under connection of Tswapong South villages’ project. ENDS