Vital water project halted because municipality failed to pay contractors

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10-10-2024
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Ground Up
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School where reservoir was being built blocks construction

Fed-up with delays in construction, a Free State school has halted the building of a municipal reservoir on school premises.

The School Governing Body (SGB) of Lerapo Primary School in Leratswana township near Arlington in the Free State has ordered the contractor and the Nketoana local municipality to stop construction of the reservoir.

In a letter to both, the SGB says it was led to believe construction would be complete in March 2024. But the project was only 20% complete. Dust pollution was affecting learners, the holes were dangerous, and the frequent changes of staff by the contractor were a security risk. The SGB said it had made “a grave error” in giving the go-ahead without consulting parents.

The letter, dated 6 September 2024, was directed to the municipal manager and the directors of the contractor, Little Rocky.

The school has also ordered the contractors to close the hole.

But the municipality says stopping the project will affect the community since the reservoir was aimed at resolving the water problem in the area. Municipal manager Mokete Nhlapho confirmed receipt of the letter from the school and told GroundUp he was trying to set up an urgent meeting with the SGB.

He said the delays in construction had been caused by the municipality’s failure to pay the contractors. “Between July and December we could not pay the contractors because of the financial problem we encountered and that resulted in the delay in the construction of the reservoir.”

“Yes, we take the blame because we did not go back to the SGB to inform them about the project extension due to challenges that the municipality faced. I am however confident we will resolve the matter with the school and continue with the project,” he said.

Thabiso Chaane of Little Rocky confirmed that the workers had not been paid. He said he would “sort out the salary issue” this week and hold a meeting with the SGB and others.

When GroundUp visited, just across the road from the school people were drawing water from unfinished piping near an animal kraal.

They said municipal water tankers did come but there was never enough water.