Shoddy R36m flood-line canal puts residents at risk 

The JB Marks Local Municipality in North West province has wasted over R36-million to build a flood-line canal, which has now become a health and safety hazard for residents.  

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) is now investigating the shoddy work.  

In 2010, the municipality built a township development for the residents of Ikageng due to a housing backlog. The township is located adjacent to the north of N12 road, which links Potchefstroom and Klerksdorp. 

The residents were placed near a flood line, and a canal needed to be built to drain water from the newly constructed township called Extension 11.  

Residents say they began to have more problems because the canal was poorly constructed and left open, posing a risk to the township. When it rains, their houses flood because the canal dumps water into their yards and houses. 

The residents say when the contractor began digging holes, they informed the municipality that what they saw was not in accordance with the Integrated Development Plan meetings’ agreements.  

“We want them to come and reconstruct the canal. This one is a substandard canal. You can see that they were just wasting taxpayers’ money, or maybe the municipality wanted to make someone rich,” Motsemme said.  

Ntswaki Monaisa’s house is situated next to the flood-line canal.  

“They (the municipality) have subsequently promised to come and fix this. The canal allows rats and snakes to enter our homes, and when it rains, water floods our yards,” she said. 

According to the municipality’s engineer’s assessment report, there were issues on the project due to wastewater infiltration into the canal. 

According to the assessment, an older sewer pipe had sections that had entirely collapsed and needed to be replaced. The same company that was appointed for the canal was paid another R8.1-million to fix the sewer line.  

“The sewer spillage is causing health hazards to the community, there is contamination to the water streams. They did not fix it, they made it worse. We even took the municipality to the SA Human Rights Commission,” said Monaisa. 

 According to the financial year under review 2020/2021, the company, Born Free Civils, was paid R36-million for the construction of the N12 flood-line canal, and on the project status, the municipality said the target had been achieved.  

The municipality said it acknowledges the concerns raised by residents of Ikageng regarding the N12 flood-line canal. 

“The municipality is committed to the safety and well-being of its residents, and we understand the frustrations surrounding this project. Please be advised that the matter is currently under active investigation by the [SIU]. As such, we are unable to comment in detail on the specifics,” said the municipality’s spokesperson Jeanette Tshite. 

“We are fully cooperating with their probe to ensure accountability and transparency.”  

Tshite said the municipality was actively exploring temporary measures to alleviate the risk in the interim. 

The SIU has since last November searched the premises of the municipality and seized evidence. The SIU said it was investigating allegations of serious maladministration regarding the procurement of or contracting for goods, works or services by or on behalf of the municipality concerning the construction of a flood-line canal next to the N12 provincial road. 

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