Business activity around Giyani CBD in Limpopo was brought to a complete standstill on Monday as residents embarked on a shutdown over the shortage of water in the area.

The local mall, street vendor stalls and shops in the area remained closed as protesting residents barricaded the R81 leading into town from Polokwane. 

They are calling for water and sanitation minister Senzo Mchunu to address them after governments failed to address their water shortage problems for years.  At the centre of the discontent by residents is the multibillion rand Nandoni water project, which was meant to benefit 55 villages in the area but remains incomplete after 14 years. Other water projects by the  government in the area have also flopped for various reasons, including incomplete work, lack of maintenance and vandalism.

Community leader Gwavulani Baloyi said they hoped the government would come to their aid and see that people were tired of suffering over lack of water.

Baloyi said over the years funds had been allocated by the government to resolve the water issues in the area, but people continued to suffer.

“Without water we don’t have life. This is why we took the initiative to protest. This protest is going to last until they (government) come to the ground and respond accordingly,” he said.

In a written statement, Mchunu tried to appeal to residents not to embark on a shutdown, saying that a lot of progress had been made on the Giyani water project including the Nandoni to Nsami dam water pipeline, which had 2km left to be completed.

The Giyani Bulk Secondary Water Supply project was at 56% while construction for the Giyani Wastewater treatment upgrade was expected to start in November.

“The Giyani Water Project has always been a priority project for the ministry; it is unfortunate and regrettable that it has taken this long to provide the people of Giyani with clean water but I want to assure the residents that we are hard at work and will see the project to completion,” Mchunu said.

He said his administration had managed to turn things around during its one year in office, adding that residents and members of the Giyani business community had been updated about progress on a regular basis.

Mchunu said one of the issues causing delays was a probe by the Special Investigating Unit into allegations of irregular awarding of tenders at the department’s Construction North Unit in Giyani, which forms part of the water project. 

“Corruption has been the major contributor to the prolonged delays and as we have repeatedly maintained – every cent is being followed and those entrusted with those functions will have to account! All we ask from the residents is their co-operation – we are committed to providing them with clean water as their basic human right and we will achieve this,” Mchunu said.

mahopoz@sowetan.co.za