Govt takes off gloves on Vaal River rescue
National and Provincial Government have finally taken off the gloves in implementing the stalled R7billion Vaal River and community sewage pollution clean-up project – saying any work stoppages and sabotage would not be tolerated from any source.
The Vaal River should be the Vaal’s pride and joy. Photo: Elsje Vermeulen
The hardline approach was laid down to a mass meeting in Midrand last Friday of ELM councillors and officials with Deputy Water and Sanitation Minister David Mahlobo and Cooperative Governance MEC Lebogang Maile.
Maile and Mahlobo were uncompromising in their approach, demanding that councillors bring their respective communities and wards on board with the project and saying that no excuse would be tolerated for preventing work.
Both Maile and Mahlobo also cracked the whip to municipal officials as well as Water and Sanitation Department officials to pull together and stop internal turf wars preventing implementing agent Rand Water from proceeding with the strategic project.
Work by Rand Water and its contractors has been stalled for weeks following work stoppages and prevention at key plants and pump stations by the SA Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU). Other community organisations have also used employment issues to prevent work from continuing.
“Sewage is still flowing through our community houses and streets so how can we as Government tolerate those who sabotage improving the health of our people and the environment in the form of the beautiful Vaal River?
“Any resistance to improving the lives of our people will not be tolerated and we expect our councillors to actively bring our communities on board. If we find resistance, we will meet it in the streets or wherever it comes from,” MEC Maile reportedly told the meeting.
Top Rand Water and ELM officials were expected to meet SAMWU this week to convey the zero tolerance policy on work stoppages and to secure compliance. Samwu did not attend the Midrand meeting.
Both Mahlobo and Maile identified security and work stoppages as the main threats to project implementation.
The Golden Triangle Chamber of Commerce (GTCoC) has welcomed the uncompromising approach of MEC Maile and Deputy Minister Mahlobo and repeated concerns that the traditional approach to security would merely waste money.
“Intelligence-driven operations not linked to local municipalities or Police are the only answer which can beat syndicates which clearly have local community support,” said GTCoC President Klippies Kritzinger.
Article by and originally appeared in the Vaalweekblad
Related Articles
