In a move to deal with Buffalo City Metro’s high unemployment rate and address the backlog of water supply to residents, executive mayor Xola Pakati yesterday launched a R36-million bulk water supply project.
Set to benefit thousands of residents, the project also aims to develop young contractors in the city.
Nine up and coming contractors who have been part of BCM’s Vuk’uphile Learnership Programme in partnership with the national public works department are set to change the lives of thousands of villagers from around Ncera Villages and Kidd’s Beach when they deliver water to the areas.
Pakati yesterday launched the project in Good Hope where thousands of families have been living without a water supply from the metro.
Villagers told of how they have shared water with cattle and pigs.
“The project is aimed to benefit all the people of Ncera Villages including Tsholomnqa. ... BCM has funded the project and some of the work should be completed by the end of the year,” said Pakati.
Each of the nine contractors has been allocated R4-million and each is expected to create about 40 job opportunities for the locals from the beneficiary villages.
Acting head for infrastructure services Luyanda Mbula said: “The nine contractors started the learnership programme about two years ago and they started with supplying toilets in the villages.
“This is phase two and they will be doing bulk water supply. In phase three they will be developed to construct roads,” said Mbula.
One of the few female contractors who has benefited from the project, Peze Soga, said she was grateful for the opportunity given to young black contractors by the government.
Project steering committee member Skolo Simanga from Sunny South said: “At least 50 people have been guaranteed to get jobs when the project starts on October 3, that is 30 men and 20 women.” — mamelag@dispatch.co.za
Water projects aims to help unemployed
Set to benefit thousands of residents, the project also aims to develop young contractors in the city.
Nine up and coming contractors who have been part of BCM’s Vuk’uphile Learnership Programme in partnership with the national public works department are set to change the lives of thousands of villagers from around Ncera Villages and Kidd’s Beach when they deliver water to the areas.
Pakati yesterday launched the project in Good Hope where thousands of families have been living without a water supply from the metro.
Villagers told of how they have shared water with cattle and pigs.
“The project is aimed to benefit all the people of Ncera Villages including Tsholomnqa. ... BCM has funded the project and some of the work should be completed by the end of the year,” said Pakati.
Each of the nine contractors has been allocated R4-million and each is expected to create about 40 job opportunities for the locals from the beneficiary villages.
Acting head for infrastructure services Luyanda Mbula said: “The nine contractors started the learnership programme about two years ago and they started with supplying toilets in the villages.
“This is phase two and they will be doing bulk water supply. In phase three they will be developed to construct roads,” said Mbula.
One of the few female contractors who has benefited from the project, Peze Soga, said she was grateful for the opportunity given to young black contractors by the government.
Project steering committee member Skolo Simanga from Sunny South said: “At least 50 people have been guaranteed to get jobs when the project starts on October 3, that is 30 men and 20 women.” — mamelag@dispatch.co.za
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