Project monitoring key to speedy service delivery

By Libuseng Nyaka

The Executive mayor of Maluti-a-phofung local municipality executive mayor Gilbert Mokotso has attributed delays in the completion of projects to lack of monitoring which helps to pick up problems and address them in time.
Mokotso and his mayoral committee visited major projects aimed at addressing major challenges facing the community, which are regular power cuts, unreliable water supply, sewers and access to roads.

He said the purpose of his visit was to ensure that these projects are completed in record time with allocated budgets.
“Monitoring of projects enables us to identify problems at an early stage and attend to them rather wait until damage or loss of funds has occurred. Many projects are unfinished due to lack of monitoring. I always come from time to time to check on the progress of these projects. I am going to make sure that we always play our oversight role of monitoring implementation of these projects and ensure that they are completed in record time.”

One of the large projects is aimed at addressing the electricity problem, with a larger substation being built at Elizabeth Ross where equipment worth R30 million has already been purchased; it is expected to be finished in 36 months.
During the visit to the site, the MMC for infrastructure and electricity Shashapa Motaung, said the Elizabeth Ross substation is an important place were important equipment purchased at a high cost have been kept because of its tight security.

“We are happy to see that equipment that is going to build this substation is arriving. Cables, switch gas and panels have arrived. Electricity equipment is kept at a secure and insured place because of its high cost. So far we have spent R30 million.”
Motaung said another purpose was to clear suspicions that the transformer purchased for Tshiame residents had been stolen.

“This too is not true; as you can see the transformer is still here, kept safely. It is kept here because of the security. We cannot afford to lose it.”

Other projects that were also visited include Charles Mopeli stadium, Comet to Ha Rankopane pipe line, Namahadi Roads phase four, Phuthaditjhaba taxi facility, Namahadi sewer project phase 1, Phuthaditjhaba hall and Bluegumnosh stadium.