07/08/2020
By Mathonsi Bonginkosi
BLOCK C WATER PIPE INSTALLATION (06 AUGUST 2020)
Nkomazi Municipality has brought development to improve the Kamaqhekeza Water Plant located at Sebokeng village in Block C. The project is estimated to a budget of Two Hundred And Sixteen Million (R216 000 000) to improve the plant and bulk line of a steel pipe of 444 mm and 244 mm said the Nkomazi Municipality project manager Mr. Sibuyi Moses (06 AUGUST 2020.
The project has three phases that split the budget, and this project runs through multiple villages including Ward 1, 3, 4 and 6 as per Municipal demarcations. The tender was awarded to a local business trading by the name of VUKA-MAGAGULA PROJECTS AND TRADING, which started working around May 2020 in the side of Bock C Phakama.
The project was stopped by community members including the Siboshwa Water Crises Committee that was formed by the community members who organized themselves and engage with the Nkomazi Municipality about shortage of water at Block C last year October 2019.
The Siboshwa Water Crises Committee claim that in the meetings they had with the Nkomazi Municipality they were promised a steel pipe that will be running on top of beams but the delivered pipes are installed underground, and they were not hired hence ward councilors has employed people of their choice using political alignment.
The community has made research about the installed pipe which they claim is an Asbestos Cement Pipe with mini steel. The main reason the pipe has to be on top, is for visibility to anyone and would be easy to see who tampers with it and do illegal connections. Another uprising at Sebokeng has been encountered after the VMT project has moved from Phakama to Sebokeng water plant, community members complaining about they were not employment, unaware of the project.
The community members who represented the members in the uprising were called by Councilors of Ward 1,3,4 and 6 a non-constituted steering committee was formulated which angered the communities because some members of the steering committee has conflict of interest and were not delegated by any authenticated and legal association.
Ever since the project has been stopped, members of the community were trying means to bring the Municipality on the table to review the minutes of the meeting they had with the Siboshwa water crises committee, instead of the Nkomazi municipality meeting the community to address their outcry members of the community we assaulted.
Four members of the community were assaulted, including Lungile Melody Khoza who was ambushed at her house around 1 am and kept hostage till 3 am by three unknown armed man at gun point, asking if she needs money or work, upon realization that her only interest was a pipe she claims was promised to the Siboshwa water crises committee. She was assaulted and threatened to kill her entire family if she doesn’t stay away from the water installation project.
Nkomazi Municipality was consulted and claim to have no knowledge of such conduct and do not condone that kind barbaric behavior, a case should be open for whoever is responsible, the municipality appoint contractors to do the work they are hired for, not to hunt community members, said Mr. Cyril Repinga, Nkomazi Municipality head of communication.
A further investigation was made about the assault allegations; a case was opened confirmed by Tonga SAPS. Questions were directed to the VMT project engineering who we were referred to upon consultation, and he responded I quote “send me a list of the question via SMS, so I can ask my manager if I can answer them.
” A message was sent with number of questions and it was not answered.
As a journalist I was denied an opportunity to take a picture of the resumed public project by the VMT project engineer Khisimusi Sibitane for non-presented reason. However, the community is under shock due to resume of the project without a meeting between contractor, councilors and the informal steering committee, there is an allegation that members who were boycotting have been employed,
security personnel have been employed to stop the community from exercising their rights to information, redress and accountability which is promoted by the Bathopele principles.