Nge GEOFF EMBLING, Democratic Alliance (DA), Ward 4
Isiphithiphithi sabahlali sisondela kwinqanaba elibi kakhulu, kwaye ngamanye amaxesha umsindo wabo ujika ube kukucela amanzi. Eminye imizi ineeveki ezininzi engenamanzi.
Iziseko ezingundoqo zamanzi, iivalvu ngokukodwa, azikhange zilungiswe kule minyaka idlulileyo, kwaye kutyholwa ngokuba imibhobho esanda kufakwa ayicinezelwa okanye “ayinyanzelwa “ngokufanelekileyo ziikontraka ezithile. Imibhobho yamanzi isesichengeni soxinzelelo olukhulu, kwaye ucinezelo lubandakanya ukucudisa umhlaba phezu kwemibhobho esanda kubekwa okanye elungiswayo kunokuphosa umhlaba ovuthulukileyo emva emingxunyeni. Ingxaki ethe yachaphazela isiseko samanzi iminyaka yenzeka emva “kokuchithwa kwamanzi” xa imibhobho yonikezelo lwamanzi luvulwa ngokukhawuleza okukhulu. Utshintsho oluqhubekayo olukhawulezayo kuxinzelelo kutyholwa ukuba yeyona nto ibangela ukuqhekeka okutsha kunye nokuvuza kule minyaka.
Umasipala uye walunyukiswa izihlandlo ezingamakhulu, ukuba azingomatyeli angamawaka ziinjineli kunye nabahlali abaxhalabileyo, kodwa kubonakala ukuba khange kuthathelwe ngqalelo kangako. Ingxelo esemgangathweni kamasipala ithi “iziseko zoncedo zamanzi zindala kwaye kufuneka zitshintshwe”. Izinto zabambi kakhulu ekupheleni kuka-2021, xa umbhobho wendlela eyaphukileyo ekupheleni kwesitalato i-Worcester wayenza mandundu ingxaki yamanzi kaninzi. Impendulo yoomasipala yayinye; iziseko ezingundoqo ezindala kunye nokuba indawo eyaphukileyo iya kulungiswa ngeentsuku ezimbalwa. Injineli enamava yatyhola ukuba umbhobho wesitalato saseWorcester “ayisosiseko esidala”, kodwa yinxalenye yomsebenzi owenziwe ngokungakhathali kumbhobho “wonxibelelwano” omtsha odibanisa iRhini eNtshona naseMpuma.
Le Njineli, eyazi kakuhle inkqubo yamanzi yaseRhini-Makhanda, ithe kuyabonakala kwasekuqaleni ukuba umasipala uye walungisa ukuvuza kwamanzi kwisitalato saseWorcester ngendlela engafanelekanga. Njengoko umsebenzi uqhubela phambili, abasebenzi bakamasipala bayenza mandundu imeko, kwaye malunga neeveki ezimbini phantsi komgca i-Manco Business Enterprise yabizwa ukuba ilungise le ngxaki. UManco unikwe ikhontrakthi yeSigaba 2 sokutshintshwa kwemibhobho emidala ye-asbestos ngemibhobho yePVC. Kuthathe ixesha elimalunga nenyanga ukuba ulungiswe lo mbhobho, nangona ukulungiswa ikokwexeshana. UManco uza kuqhubeka nomsebenzi aze athathe indawo yombhobho waseWorcester St wakuba “ulungisiwe” umbhobho omkhulu weKing St/Milner St, owaphuka ngowama-21 kweyoMqungu ka-2020.
Umbhobho we-King St/Milner St ubotshiwe ngoku ngeli lixa umasipala elindele iindawo ezichanekileyo ukuze awulungise kakuhle. Eyona meko imbi kakhulu kukuba uyakulungiswa ngokufanelekileyo kwiiveki ezintathu ukusukela ngoku, malunga nomhla wama-23 kweyoMdumba. Okwangoku, isavuza kakhulu, kwaye amanzi angena kumbhobho wamanzi emvula kwaye ehla kwi-gutter eMilner Street. Ngokutsho koMlawuli weziSeko zaManzi, oye walwa nesivunguvungu seziseko “ingozi/sengxwelerha” kutshanje, umbhobho awukwazi ukunyanzeliswa ngakumbi xa kwenzeka ukuba kube nzima ukuphuka, kwaye i-valvu ayikwazi ukuvalwa ngenxa yokuba umbhobho ngoku unikezela amanzi kubahlali.
Abahlali babuze ukuba kutheni ukuvuza kwe-King St/Milner St kunokuthatha iiveki ezintathu ukulungiswa, kwaye ingaba akufuneki sisebenzise iifemu zobunjineli zasekuhlaleni ukwakha iindawo kunye nokulungisa iziseko zamanzi. Baphinde babuza ukuba kutheni i-Manco ingenayo imibhobho kwaye iinxalenye zifumaneka ngokulula kwaye ayikwazi ukuyikhupha ngeentsuku nje ezimbalwa. Ukuba omnye angasebenzisa u”Google” ajonge i-Manco Business Enterprise umntu uyakubona ukuba ayinalo iphepha lewebhusayithi. Luncinci kakhulu ulwazi malunga neManco, ebonakala ingaqhelekanga kwinkampani enekhontrakthi yezigidi zerandi ukuba ithathe indawo yeziseko zophuhliso zikamasipala. Abahlali bacele ukuba iinkcukacha zazo zonke iikhontrakthi kunye neethenda zikamasipala zenziwe zifumaneke lula kwiwebhusayithi kamasipala ukuze uluntu luphonononge. Abahlali bahlawula iirhafu kunye neerhafu kumasipala, otyumba iikontraka ukuba zilungise izakhiwo egameni labahlawuli berhafu. Kufuneka ke ngoko kubekho ukungafihlisi ngokupheleleyo.
Kukho amakhulukhulu eendawo zamanzi ezivuzayo kwidolophu, amanye akhupha amanzi xa uxinzelelo luphezulu, kwaye nangona kukho ingxelo iminyaka, umasipala akafuni ukuwalungisa. Imizekelo emibini kukuvuza kwidama eliphakathi kwinqanaba eligalelayo, kunye nokuvuza kwe-Drury Lane. Ukuvuza kwe-Drury Lane “kwalungiswa” kwiminyaka embalwa edlulileyo kodwa kwaqhawuka ngosuku olulandelayo, kwaye umlambo omncinci wamanzi amatsha acocekileyo ubuqukuqela kumgaqo kaloliwe ukuya kumazantsi e-Albany, imini nobusuku, iminyaka. Ibisenzeka kakhulu kangangokuba iye yabangela udaka lwalo kwelinye icala lentsimi, ineengcongolo kunye nenkqubo yendalo iphela egubungela ikota yentsimi, kunye nodaka oluchumileyo olugubungela isiqingatha sentsimi.
Kwiinyanga ezimbalwa ezidlulileyo xa uxinzelelo lwamanzi lwaluphezulu kakhulu, abahambi nezinja babengakwazi ukuhamba embindini wale ndawo inkulu ngaphandle kokuhamba emanzini, kwaye ukuvuza kumalunga ne-150m ukusuka kumbindi webala. Impendulo ibifana kumasipala, iziseko ezingundoqo zakudala, kwaye ukulungisa oku kuvuza kuya kufuna ukuvalwa konikezelo lwamanzi edolophini kangangeentsuku ezimbini nangaphezulu. Oku ayisosizathu, kwaye iindawo ezivuzayo ezifana nezi kufuneka zilungiswe kungakhathaliseki ukuba kwenzeka njani. Amanzi amoshekileyo aphuma kumbhobho wendlela i-Drury lane aphuma kwiziko lokucoca i-James Kleinhans Water Works, nto leyo ethetha ukuba umasipala uhlawula umrhumo ngelitha nganye yamanzi acociweyo acocekileyo, kwaye iindleko zigqithiselwa kubahlali.
Oku kuzisa omnye umbono. Kwibhunga kwiveki ephelileyo usihlalo weKomiti yoPhicotho-zincwadi lwangaphakathi, uProf Plaatjies, uphawule ukuba umasipala uchithe i-R7.9 yezigidi zeerandi kunyaka ophelileyo kumanzi amoshwayo asuka kwiziseko ezingundoqo ezonakeleyo. Ngaphaya koko, umasipala usengxakini yezemali kwaye akakhange ahlawule u-Eskom, ukanti uchitha ngaphezulu kwesigidi seerandi ngenyanga kwimivuzo yexesha elongezelelekileyo kubasebenzi bakamasipala. Kutyholwa, yile Njineli ikhankanyiweyo ngasentla, ukuba umbane ofunekayo ukumpompa amanzi axabisa i-R7.9 yezigidi zeerandi, avuzayo aphume kwimibhobho ukuya kumbhobho, angaxabisa i-R7.9 yezigidi zeerandi ubuncinane.
Oku kungenxa yokuba amanzi ethu afuna ukumpontshelwa kwiindawo eziphakamileyo ukusuka kumlambo i-Fish River (kwicala elingasempuma) kunye nedama lase-Howiesonspoort (kwicala elingasentshona). Ngoko ke akubobulumko ukuchaza iindleko zamanzi kuphela ngaphandle kokuthathela ingqalelo iindleko ezenziwe kusetyenziso lombane kunye nokukrazulwa kweempompo kunye neendawo zokucocwa. Abahlali baqala ukuthandabuza ukuba akukho mdla kamasipala osematyaleni kakhulu nokuququzelela unikezelo lwamanzi losuku olunye, lwemini ngemini ukuze kongiwe ezi ndleko.
Okwangoku, iRhini-Makhanda inamanzi angaphezulu kwaneleyo okubonelela idolophu yonke, yonke imihla. I-Fish River kunye ne-James Kleinhans Water Treatment Works zinokubonelela ngaphaya kwesiqingatha sezidingo zedolophu, kwaye idama lase-Howiesonspoort kunye ne-Waainek Water Treatment Works linokongeza nantoni na eseleyo. Idama lase-Howiesonspoort liphantse lagcwala, kodwa apha kukho omnye umba – isikhululo sempompo sase-Howiesonspoort kunye nemfihlakalo yeempompo ezingekhoyo. U-Retief Odendaal, ilungu le-DA kwindlu yowiso-mthetho yephondo (MPL), ekunye nooceba abane, benze utyelelo lokongamela kwisikhululo sokumpompa e-Howiesonspoort kwiinyanga ezimbalwa ezidlulileyo. Olu hlolo luqhubekile nangona uSomlomo webhunga kunye namagosa kamasipala esithi ooceba mabangalwenzi utyelelo bengakhange babe bakhatshwa ngamagosa.
Bubudenge obu kuba indima ephambili kaceba kukwenza ulongamelo egameni labahlali abamnyulileyo. Injongo yokongamela kukwenza uqwalaselo kunye nokongamela imisebenzi kamasipala. Ukucela imvume kumagosa kunokulibazisa utyelelo lokongamela ngokungenasiphelo kwaye kukhanyele iimpendulo zabahlali malunga nendlela iirhafu kunye neerhafu zabo ezisetyenziswa ngayo.
Isikhululo sempompo sase-Howiesonspoort sisakhiwo esikhulu sendawo esinemigangatho emibini, kwaye i-MPl Odendaal kunye nooceba bayifumene ingatshixwanga kwaye ingenamntu, nezixhobo zayo zombane ezintsonkothileyo phezulu zidanyaza bomvu naluhlaza. Kwakukho impompo enye kuphela esebenzayo phantsi. NgeyoMsintsi ka-2017, ngexesha i-Amatola Water yagqiba isivumelwano sayo noMasipala waseMakana, zontathu iimpompo zazisebenza ngokufanelekileyo, kwaye umfanekiso wazo zontathu iimpompo unokubonwa kwi-Grocotts’ Mail yoMsintsi kushicilelo luka-2017.
Limpompo zizigidi zezigidi zeerandi zeziseko zophuhliso, kwaye impompo nganye iqhagamshelwe kwinjini enkulu ngokulinganayo ezithi zidibene zilingane nobukhulu bemoto encinci. Kwisakhiwo kukho iiplatifomu ezintathu ezihambelanayo, nganye ixhasa impompo kunye nemotho (motor) yayo. Iqonga lokuqala lixhasa impompo eqhagamshelwe kwi-motor yayo (kuphela kwenkqubo yokusebenza), iqonga lesibini linempompo ngaphandle kwemotho (motor) yalo, kwaye elesithathu linenjini ngaphandle kwempompo yalo. Xa ebuzwa lo masipala uthi ezi ziseko zingekhoyo zihambile ziyolungiswa kwaye akanalo nexesha elibekiweyo ukuba zibuya nini. Ngokuqwalasela ukuba iimpompo bezisebenza ngokupheleleyo ekupheleni kuka-2017 kwaye kukho imbalela emandla ukususela ngoko, abahlali bangathanda ukwazi ukuba baye nini ukulungiswa, apho balungiswa khona kwaye baya kubuyiselwa nini kwindawo yokumpompa.
Isikhululo sempompo sase-Howiesonspoort sinokubonelela ngesiqingatha sedolophu ngamanzi xa sisebenza ngokupheleleyo. Oku kubandakanya icala elingasentshona yedolophu, iCBD, indawo yase-Kingswood, upper Fitzroy St, Oatlands North kunye ne-Somerset Heights. Uluntu luthandabuza iingxelo zikamasipala ekwabelwana ngazo kumaqela oluntu ka-WhatsApp athi “ingxaki yamanzi” kunye “neebhola zodaka” kwidama lase-Howiesonspoort zingunobangela wokunqongophala kwamanzi aphuma e-Waainek Water Treatment Works. Imisebenzi yamanzi eqhutywa ngokufanelekileyo kufuneka ikwazi ukujongana ne-turbidity ngokongeza i-focculant, efuna inqanaba lokuchaneka. Omnye umbuzo uphinda uvele: ingaba isiqingatha esisentshona sedolophu silufumene njani unikezelo lwamanzi olungaphazamisekiyo kwixesha elidlulileyo ngamaxesha emvula enkulu ukuba isikhululo sempompo sase-Howiesonspoort kufuneka sicuthe unikezelo lwaso ngalo lonke ixesha kukho “isiphithiphithi” emanzini? Iingxelo zikamasipala zikhangeleka ngathi zifihla umnqa wesikhululo sempompo saseHowiesonspoort.
Umgaqo ofanayo unokusetyenziswa kwisizathu sokusilela kweziseko ezingundoqo zamanzi ezindala. Ingxaki yangoku yamanzi ibonakala ubukhulu becala ngenxa yezinga eliphezulu lokungakwazi ukusebenza. Iziseko zoncedo “zilungisiwe” kwaye zophuka kwakhona apho bezilungisiwe, ukuvuza okukhulu kwamanzi akuhoywa; Iziseko ezingundoqo zamanzi ezikhoyo, iivalvu kunye ne-asethi azigcinwa, kwaye iikhontrakthi kunye neethenda zinikwa iinkampani ezingenabuchule ngokwaneleyo bokugcina inkqubo isebenza kakuhle.
UMphicothi-zincwadi Jikelele, kunye neengxelo ze-SCOPA, baye bachaza ukuba undoqo wengxaki ulele kuMlawuli kaMasipala. UliGosa eliNika iNgxelo eliyiNtloko kwaye unoxanduva lokuqesha noxanduva lwabasebenzi bolawulo, ukusuka kubalawuli ukuya kutsho kubasebenzi bakamasipala. Umasipala waseMakana sele enamagama amathathu okuzichasa kunyaka-mali ka-2018, 2019 no-2020, kwaye uProf. Plaatjies wabonisa kwiveki ephelileyo ukuba kukho enye i-disclaimer esendleleni yokulungiselela unyaka-mali ka-2021. I-disclaimer yeyona ndlela imbi yokufunyanwa ngumphicothi-zincwadi jikelele.
jAbahlali baseRhini-Makhanda bonele kukungabonelelwa kakuhle kweenkonzo, kwaye le miba ikhankanyiweyo ngasentla izakuphakanyiswa kumabhunga, kumajelo eendaba , kwiphondo nakwisizwe.
