Follow-up oversight visits at Ga Mogopa Housing Development; N14 Development in Ventersdorp and Tlokwe Fire Station projects in JB Marks Local Municipalities.

The Portfolio Committee on Premier, Finance, Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs chaired by Hon. Aaron Motswana together with the Standing Committee on Provincial Public Accounts Committee chaired by Hon. Job Dliso conducted follow-up oversight visits at Ga Mogopa Housing Development; N14 Development in Ventersdorp and Tlokwe Fire Station projects in JB Marks Local Municipalities.

The oversight visits form part of the Legislature’s oversight week in various municipalities under the Dr. Kenneth Kaunda Municipality, and the program is aimed at strengthening oversight and public participation and to promote accountability and transparency in government.

During the program, Members of the Legislature will interact with different provincial departments and their MECs; Mayors; Accounting Officers; and members of the Municipal Public Accounts Committees.

Ga Mogopa Housing Project
At the project, the Department of Human Settlements informed the Committee that communities have not been relocated due to technical matters concerning a Geo-Tech study that was conducted to assess the dolomitic status of the area and recommend for possible relocation of communities to a lesser dolomitic area nearer to village.

The Chief Engineer at the department, Mr. Witness Moela said the latest Geo-technical study that was conducted in conjunction with the Housing Development Agency recommended for a possible relocation of the community due to high intensity of a dolomite in Ga Mogopa village. “We have discovered possible land between Ditsobotla and Rustenburg local municipalities and the department is currently negotiating with the land owner for purchasing and relocation of the community. We are not finalizing procurement processes so that we can start with bulk services on the land,” said Mr. Moela.

Concerned community members informed the Committee that the community has refused relocations. “Prior to 1994, we were forcefully removed from our area to another area and during the new dispensation, we were relocated back to our village. We will not move again as the matter reminds us of such painful moments.

“The department together with relevant authorities have failed to engage us on the processes that unfolded and only came now as the Committee is doing oversight. There are worse areas in Gauteng that are highly dolomitic yet government and private people managed to build houses and bring services without any challenges,” said Ms. Morakane Ntshe.

Hon. Motswana said it was concerning that other provinces with worse dolomitic conditions such as in Gauteng used alternative methods to build houses for communities. “We are worried and angered that the North West provincial government is not benchmarking in that province as it experienced similar dolomitic challenges with lots of mines. This is our third visit in 3 years yet there has been little progress on assisting the communities who have not received any basic services since 1994 because it has been assumed that on a dolomitic area, there can never been provision of services such as water, sanitation, roads and other services.

“We will hold a meeting with the National and Provincial Departments of Human Settlements, JB Marks Local Municipality, Housing Development Agency and other relevant government entities to find solutions and address this matter urgently as there has been no report presented since our last visit in May 2022. Government cannot hijack our oversight to send a report that is not well presented to the community,” said Hon. Motswana.

He also said the municipality should consolidate a report on the existing water resources and develop a plan on how to provide water on regular basis. “We also need to check if there have ever been any existing basic services as community complain that they receive water 2 hours a day due to malfunctioning water engines and boreholes. It is shocking that there are no basic services here,” said Hon. Motswana.

At N14 Development project, the department informed the Committee that a service provider has been appointed to develop the site and install bulk services. “The Committee will facilitate another meeting with the department and the municipality on resolving the matter as it has been outstanding for a couple of years,” said Hon. Motswana.

Upon arrival at Tlokwe Fire Station, both Committees discovered the project was abandoned and there was no service prover on site except a single security official guarding the incomplete project. SCOPA Chairperson, Hon. Job Dliso said the Committee will engage the law enforcement agencies to investigate the project. “This is our third time visiting this project in the last 3 years but it seems that the municipality and the contractor are incapable of completing it. The same contractor was terminated twice due to poor workmanship, conflict with the consultant and slow progress yet the project is still incomplete.

“The initial R19 million project might escalate to triple the initial amount in order for the project to be completed through appointment of another service provider yet there is no accountability from the municipality. We are therefore left with no choice but to open cases so that heads can roll,” said Hon. Dliso.