Water and Sanitation Minister Nomvula Mokonyane says government is ready to commence with a project aimed at addressing water shortages in Giyani in Limpopo.

The Minister answered oral questions in the National Assembly in Parliament on Wednesday.

She had been asked when the increased capacity of the Nsami Water Treatment Plant from Nandoni will reduce the growing pressure on the Nsami Dam, which is currently at below 50%.

“The need for a transfer of water from the Nandoni Dam has arisen as a result of the critical shortage of water to Giyani due to the hydrological failure of the Little Letaba and Nsami dams during a prolonged drought in the area.

“We anticipate that the project will start in the last quarter of the 2015/16 financial year,” she said.

The Minister’s response comes after a technical investigation was conducted to determine how the hydrolic challenges could be resolved.

During his Siyahlola visit to Giyani in October last year, President Jacob Zuma opened the refurbished Giyani Water Treatment Works with an aim of supplying 55 villages in the Mopani District Municipality with clean running water.

“The transfer canal from the Middle Letaba that was constructed to augment the water supply to Nsami Water Treatment Works could not sustainably operate at full capacity.

The Minister said that another pipeline will need to be constructed from the Nandoni Water Treatment Works to serve the communities that do not have the portable water refinement in Malamulele.

Asked how the projects would benefit the communities, the Minister said the construction would lead to job opportunities.

“The benefits during the construction period are going to be, amongst others, the skills transfer that is going to emanate from the partnership … between the established contractors and those that are coming from the neighbouring community.

“There is also going to be short-term employment opportunities as the project will be running for a period of two years before completion.”