Ngaka Modiri Molema Municipality spends R5 million on non-functional boreholes

Tebogo Msimanga

Ngaka Modiri Molema district municipality at Mahikeng has been under the media spotlight in recent weeks over the alleged expenditure reports on Covid-19 amounting to a whopping R93 million. Now, the municipality is in the spotlight again for allegedly spending R5 million on two boreholes that are not functional.

DA councillor at Ratlou Local municipality Tebogo Mabaso said the DA conducted an oversight inspection at Gareleng and Ramabesa following a report by the Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality. It claimed to have drilled and completed the construction of two boreholes to provide residents with water.

The Opposition party visited the site on 12 August 2020, only to find that there were no boreholes. Following their oversight inspection, the district municipality went and dug two boreholes but to date, the two boreholes have no water.

The DA said the district municipality claims to have surveyed the place before drilling the area for water, but the lack of water supply is proof that they did not do their due diligence in ensuring quality work. “ There must be clarity on how many metres were drilled in each borehole and how much was paid for each meter to be installed.”

The DA reiterated that It is unacceptable that R5 million has been wasted on a project that has not benefitted the community of Gareleng and Ramabesa.  “There must be an investigation into the process that led to the construction of the boreholes and everyone involved in the project must account for this shoddy work.”

The party said the money used to build these two boreholes could have been used to service the existing boreholes which pump water from 7h00 until 19h00.