The Mintirho Business Enterprise, a construction company hired to build the new Midoroni Clinic, was given a R35 000 fine by the Kutama Tribal Authority for an alleged illegal water connection. The construction company, however, reckons they have not done anything wrong.

Mr Clifford Mkhombo of Mintirho Business Enterprise said this week that they would not be paying the fine. “They are fining the wrong persons,” he said when Limpopo Mirror contacted him. “The subcontractor, SGS Civils, is responsible for all water issues on the site.”

Yet the steering committee for the Midoroni Clinic says that the Mintirho Business Enterprise was given permission to make use of the borehole on the site. The company had been using this borehole up to three weeks ago when news of the illegal water connection became known. “This connection is illegal because whoever connected it did not consult with the community first,” said Ward 25 Cllr Masindi Rasimpi, a member of the steering committee.

When asked for comment, SGS Civils office administrator Mr Piet Themane said that he did not understand how their employees could make illegal water connections, since they had to consult with the community concerned for everything they do.

Further enquiries from the side of the site manager, Mr Nhlamulo Maringa, revealed that a member of the steering committee, Ruth Maraheni, and a non-member of the steering committee, Mavhungu Mahafha, had seemingly signed a letter wherein SGS Civils was given the go-ahead to connect the water. “I did not know that I was being led into a wrong direction,” was all Maraheni said before she hung up. Other steering committee members knew nothing about the letter, dated 2 November 2011.

It appears that the alleged illegal connection happened immediately after the signing of the letter, and the contents of the letter merely stated that the contractors had to be left to do their work in peace, without interference from any member from the community.

The spokesperson for the Vhembe Municipality, Matodzi Ralushai, confirmed that officials from the Vhembe Municipality's water section had disconnected the illegally connected pipes at the Midoroni Clinic. “Our investigations are still on-going,” said Ralushai.

The steering committee has decided to take copy of the “secret letter” to the Kutama Tribal Authority for the office to see what to do about the matter. Disciplinary action might be taken against steering committee members who are allegedly involved in signing the “secret letter”, says the steering committee.