Provision of water to communities a priority in budget

The provision of water to the communities in the district received priority in the Vhembe state-of-the-district address delivered by the executive mayor, Cllr Tshitereke Matibe, at the Paroshina Church in Tshaulu last Wednesday.

“We are pleased to inform the people in the Vhembe region that the pipeline from Nandoni Dam to Univen has been commissioned and completed. We have indicated in the previous budget that, as a water authority district municipality, water is our key priority and we are committed to completing some water projects before the end of the financial year,” he added.

According to Matibe, the beneficiaries of the commissioned line are the Thohoyandou CBD, Muledane, Thohoyandou P East and Tswinga village. "The long wait for Dumasi, Ha-Mphego and Budeli villages to receive clean water will be a thing of the past," Matibe said.

He tabled a budget of R1.45 billion for the 2014/15 financial year and said they had set aside R605 million for water projects. He warned communities, however, not to make illegal water connections as these would hamper the efforts of the district municipality to deliver water to all the people.

“More than 3 000 households in the Vhembe region will be electrified in our partnership with Eskom. Some of the villages to be electrified include Bennde Mutale, Tshiawelo and Malale.  We urge indigent households to register for free basic electricity,” added Matibe.

King Toni Mphephu Ramabulana said the traditional leaders were ready to work with the plan implemented by the district municipality. “We are able to see the success of some of the district's implementation and we urge communities to be patient when some of the projects cannot be completed in time. The good relationship between the municipalities and traditional leaders are the way to go for the delivery of services,” said King Mphephu.

News - Date: 25 July 2014

Silas Nduvheni

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