MAHIKENG MAIL-MAHIKENG: The Executive Mayor of Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality, Cllr Khumalo Molefe who also Chair the District Command Council accompanied the Executive Mayor of Mahikeng Local Municipality, Cllr Tshepiso Mphehlo, to hand over the site for construction of the ‘Water Laboratory’ to the appointed Mahikeng based Contractor, Motlokolo Bokamoso JV represented by Boikanyo Makgolo.
Molefe was over the moon with the appointment of a contractor by Mahikeng Local Municipality who will be renovating the donated building to turn it into a first of its kind, ‘Water Laboratory’ that will be servicing all municipalities within the jurisdiction of Ngaka Modiri Molema District.
“This water laboratory will be based in Montshiwa in the Mahikeng Local Municipality is an effort to contribute positively to the process of achieving a blue drop quality of water across the district”: said Khumalo. He further said the laboratory will also increase revenue for Mahikeng Local Municipality as it will also provide services to other municipalities in the province on water quality testing.
The old building that which previously accommodated the Employment Bureau of South Africa, TEBA, for recruitment of mine workers from Mahikeng and surrounding villages, has been donated by the Local Municipality to be renovated and extended at the value of R7 million as contributed by the District and all Local Municipalities within its jurisdiction as effort to FastTrack this three (03) phase project that is implemented through the District Development Model (DDM)
The company representative, Boikanyo Makgolo made a commitment to both the Executive Mayors that he envisaged creating employment of about (100) hundred unemployed local community members as well as opportunities for sub-contracting on bricklaying and roofing.
Speaking during the ceremony, Executive Mayor, Cllr Tshepiso Mphehlo, said the Laboratory came in handy when there are challenges on the quality of drinking water around Mahikeng, citing an example of Hammanskraal in Gauteng province where it was alleged that some people died because of water borne diseases emphasising that “with a laboratory, Mahikeng will never experience such problems”. “As we continue to celebrate milestones achieved by government in the 30 years of Democracy, our government will continue to ensure that its citizens are provided with quality and drinkable water, thus the importance of a laboratory to test the quality of the water in our doorstep” said Molefe
The Executive Mayor, Khumalo Molefe also appealed to the community of Montshiwa to cooperate with both the contractor as well as the consultant and avoid conflicts which may lead to the stalling of the project due to differences. The construction process which us underway it expected to be completed within a period of four (04) months.
