The Standing Committee on Provincial Public Accounts chaired by Hon. Job Dliso has raised serious concerns about the Sutelong Water Supply project in Moretele Local Municipality in Bojanala District

This follows an oversight visit where the municipality admitted before the Provincial Accounts Committee that the R84million project has stalled due to poor workmanship and delays by the main contractor and sub-contractors.

The municipality could not provide and present a full detailed report on the project scope including the name of the contractor and consultants, detailed expenditure report and how funds were allocated on each phase of the project.

This forms part of the Legislature’s oversight week in various municipalities under the Bojanala District Municipality. The program is aimed at strengthening oversight and public participation and to promote accountability and transparency in government. Different Portfolio Committees will conduct oversight visits to various projects in the district to check their status quo and challenges therein.

Hon. Dliso said it is very concerning that the municipality could not present a report with full details of the project except the project amount and three phases. “The project continues to fail to provide basic water to the communities, yet a consultant was appointed as fair as 2013 to do designs, conduct a feasibility study and other works.

There is a clear sign that the project has been delayed so that certain individuals can benefit from water tankering services that has been going on since the project commenced, which means that there are additional costs incurred by the municipality.

“The municipality should provide a comprehensive report on the scope of work, amounts including costs incurred so far, name of consultants, contractors and sub-contractors and measures that will be put in place to ensure that the project is completed, and people have access to water. We are going to involve the law enforcement agencies to look into this malicious project where over R84 million has been wasted so far,” said Hon. Dliso