The Water and Sanitation Minister, Senzo Mchunu has made a solemn undertaking to address the water situation in Giyani, adding that those involved in any maleficence that has caused delays and escalating costs will be dealt with harshly.

He was speaking on the second day of his three-day visit to Limpopo, where he has met with various role players in the water sector, to enhance water and sanitation provision in the province.

So far, he has met with the Provincial Government led by Premier Stanley Mathabatha, Department of Water and Sanitation management in Limpopo, Lepelle Northern Water Board, the mayors of Vhembe, Mopani, and Greater Giyani Municipalities as well as Giyani community formations, to ascertain the problem areas that need immediate attention and unlock bottlenecks in the delayed water projects.

During his visit to Giyani, challenges hindering secure water provision in the area were laid bare to Minister Mchunu and he did not mince his words when he called all those who were involved in these delays to face the full might of the law once the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) is done with its job.

“We have met with SIU and they briefed us and we have assured them that we will provide them with all the necessary information and assist them to fast track their investigations because we want all those involved to be dealt with. It cannot be correct that we allow people to do as they please with public money and face no consequences on their misdeeds”, he stressed.

Mchunu decried the R3.3 billion spent on the Giyani Water Scheme but there is only 48% of the work done and the community still does not have water coming out of their taps.

He expressed his severe displeasure and called for responsibility and accountability; the money spent fruitlessly should be recovered from those involved in the stink that has tainted the government’s image.

In an effort to resolve the water challenges in Giyani, Mchunu made an undertaking that a newly revised plan for water provision will be received in a week’s time.

“The timeline is in a week’s time; the plan will be placed before us and we will consider it. If we agree on it we will then source money and fund it so that we know that is now the full scope, this is the full budget, while investigations continue but strongly monitored and supervised by us”, Mchunu emphasised.

Mchunu promised to work hard in an endeavor to change the gloomy picture of Giyani and bring credibility and dignity to the government.

Following a presentation from some of the community leaders in attendance on the issue of Nandoni relocations, Deputy Minister David Mahlobo was tasked to lead the finalisation of the compensation process.

Deputy Minister Mahlobo had earlier indicated that since his intervention early last year, there has been progressing, some people have been compensated and he committed to rallying all the role players to ensure that the process is finally concluded.