R250-M for water projects

A Chunk of Greater Sekhukhune district’s infrastructure development budget will be channeled toward water supply in the 2008/09 financial year.

Water shortage in this naturally arid area has been a perennial problem, hence the decision to spend more that R253 000 000 of the R509 133 000 infrastructure development budget on water projects and schemes.

Greater Sekhukhune District Municipality (GSDM) executive mayor Cllr Namane Masemola said during the presentation of the budget speech that water availability would heighten economic activities in the district.

Masemola said the biggest water project in Sekhukhune currently was the construction of the R9-billion De Hoop Dam in Tubatse.

“[We] are reliably informed that after its completion [in 2009], it will be able to benefit 800 000 families with water and supply water for economic use to unlock the potential our district for heightened economic activities,” he added.

The budget has been broken among the district’s five local municipalities as follows:

• Tubatse municipality (Burgersfort) – R86 803 503

• Elias Motsoaledi (Groblersdal) – R69 748 333

• Makhuduthamaga – R51 678 910

• Marble Hall – R26 212 820

• Fetakgomo – R23 853 620