Assurance has been given that the project to double the capacity of the Tugela Transfer Scheme (TTS) pipeline supplying water to the Goedertrouw Dam is at last firmly on track. Speaking to a packed stakeholder gathering at Mhlathuze Water on Tuesday 20 September, the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) finally gave time frames for the pending construction.They also gave the assurance that the budget had been secured for the project, which will increase the rate of transfer from the present 1.1m3 per second to 2.4m3 per second.

“An amount of R407-million, split over two financial years, has been provided and the procurement process has begun,” said DWS deputy director general: strategic and emergency projects, Trevor Balzer. “The single contractor for the project will be chosen from the DWS data base set up 18 months ago, thus shortening the selection process. We should conclude the procedure and have the service providers on site by 1 November this year, aiming at project completion and delivery of water by 13 November 2017.”

Fears of ‘sleepage’

But the pronouncement did little to raise great levels of enthusiasm among skeptical attendees, based on the poor track record to date in the context of the dire drought that is on the brink of crippling industry and agriculture.

“I must point out that the project is already six months behind the dates first envisioned,” said Zululand Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ZCCI) president Judith Nzimande. “This despite the fact I have pestered the DWS and minister incessantly, both in writing and via numerous phone calls. The lack of response at times has been disheartening, and our fear is that we will again be subjected to delays.”

This was supported by RBM managing director Mpho Mothoa, who asked that there be ‘no sleepage’ on a project that has already lost ground.

It was agreed a technical task team would be established to formulate a project risk plan. It was also requested that DWS take away all other responsibilities from DWS project manager Muneka Paradzai, who has been seconded to Richards Bay for the duration of the project.

Following the meeting, doubt was expressed that the DWS time frames could be fulfilled, given the normal lead times for procurement, ordering of material and site establishment â€" especially on government projects.

Long recovery road ahead

A promise has been given that normal maintenance outages will be suspended on the current TTS pipeline so as not to interrupt the supply of water to Goedertrouw while the new system is being built.

Some believe this could put the ageing infrastructure in jeopardy if it continues running at full capacity for over a year. A warning was also given that doubling of the TTS capacity would do little to restore levels of the Goedertrouw Dam, which could take as much as five years to fill if good rainfalls return.

Meanwhile, all efforts are being made to maintain the current water usage reduction, with industry and agriculture praised for their efforts in reducing consumption. 

(First published in the Zululand Observer)