President Ramaphosa’s site visit at Zimile Consulting Engineers project in Umzimkhulu
28 November 2023: Access to safe drinking water remains a challenge in rural parts of the country, leaving communities vulnerable to diseases and death in some cases. This has resulted in the issue being prioritized by different stakeholders, with President Cyril Ramaphosa conducting an oversight visit to Harry Gwala District where he inspected a water project aimed at improving the provision of bulk water and the maintenance of bulk water infrastructure in the district on Saturday, 25th November.
“The Greater Summerfield Water Supply Scheme (GSWSS) commissioned by the Harry Gwala District Municipality, was initiated in 2012 with the purpose of addressing the inadequate supply of water and ensuring a sustainable and reliable water supply for the residents within the villages,” stated Shawn Gama, CEO of Zimile Consulting Engineers.
Zimile Consulting Engineers were appointed to provide professional engineering consulting services for phase 2 of the project, which comprises the servicing of 23 villages experiencing inadequate water supply. “Most of the villages have for years relied on ground water sources such as boreholes and springs for their potable water, however, these have proven to be unreliable with low water yields,” states Gama.
The project is located in Umzimkhulu on the border of the provinces of KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape, a largely rural setting with limited access to services. The current phase of the project entails the construction of bulk water infrastructure including raw water abstraction works, water treatment works, bulk water supply pipelines and water storage structures. The project will directly benefit approximately 23 196 people and 4 097 households by the year 2025.
The project includes a community upliftment aspect with workers sourced from the local community. “I am grateful for the opportunity to be a general worker in the project, and I believe it will result in the provision of much needed potable water in the communities that will be impacted by the project,” stated Mduduzi Nkone, one of the workers from the surrounding community.
Local villager Nomvuyiso Luthuli expressed delight that once complete, the project will provide safe drinking water for her family and community at large. “Our community currently fetches water from the river, and we are optimistic that our fortunes will change once the project has been completed,” she stated.
President Ramaphosa engaged the project team and expressed his appreciation for this important project aimed at uplifting the previously disadvantaged while also advocating for more projects of this magnitude.
Harry Gwala District Municipality mayor, Cllr. Zamo Nxumalo thanked President Ramaphosa for joining them and witnessing some of the projects underway. “Through showcasing the project, we are hopeful that we will be able to motivate for more funding required for upgrading the infrastructure which will result in more people accessing safe drinking water,” stated Nxumalo.
About Zimile Consulting Engineers
Zimile Consulting Engineers is a 100% black-owned, multi-disciplinary consulting engineering, project and construction management firm. By embracing the dynamism that is in the built environment through technological advancement, Zimile Consulting Engineers seek to offer value-adding and innovative engineering solutions to South Africa’s infrastructure landscape.
