Deputy Speaker, the response to this question is the following. A new reservoir of 2,5 ML is substantially complete, with the contractor on site currently undertaking pressure and water-seal tests, which are scheduled to be completed by the end of November 2013.
When the reservoir is completed, the water storage capacity will be increased in the area from 0,35 ML to 2,5 ML. Use of the old reservoir will be discontinued. At the time when the President visited the site, only the earthworks for the reservoir had been started, but now a complete structure is in place.
Following the presidential monitoring visit to the area, 10 new boreholes and their associated pump-station construction are complete, and all the equipment has been installed. The process of completing the interconnecting pipeline between the new reservoir and the existing main bulk line to improve security of reticulation supply is under way. The construction of approximately 10 km of pipeline is 95% complete, while the reservoir is 98% complete and is also in the commissioning phase.
Eskom completed its power supply to the scheme on schedule, ensuring that there was no delay in the completion of the work of the contractor. All the pump stations are now connected to electricity. The Ngobi residents have access to water, and the security of the water supply will be enhanced once the new reservoir is commissioned.
With regard to the rehabilitation of roads in and around Moretele, the department of public works, roads and transport in the North West initiated projects that include the rehabilitation of the R101 and the Makapanstad to Swartdam road, and the rehabilitation of the D614, D634 and D632. The rehabilitation of the R101 is in progress and the other district roads are budgeted for implementation in the 2015-16 financial year. The Makapanstad to Swartdam road has been completed. No commitment was made on rail in this area.
The commitments have been monitored on average every quarter since the presidential visit, and also whenever urgent issues have arisen. The pump stations, the reservoir and the pipeline construction sites were last visited by our department, including engineers, on 1 October 2013. Verification photographs were taken and the report in this regard has been presented.
A monitoring task team has been established and is co-ordinated by the Department of Performance Monitoring and Evaluation as well as Administration in the Presidency and the Office of the Premier in the North West, and includes the Moretele Municipality. Other key stakeholders, such as the Department of Water Affairs and Eskom, have attended meetings and reported on progress made. The provincial government of the North West and the Moretele Municipality are also engaged with the Presidential Infrastructure Co-ordinating Commission Strategic Integrated Project 4 process, which is headed by the Minister of Transport, co-ordinated by the SA National Roads Agency Limited, and monitored by the PICC Secretariat team in the Department of Economic Development. [Time expired.]
Thank you, Minister. Your time has expired. You may respond again. Is there a supplementary question, hon Maluleke?
The level of noise on this side of the House is rather high. Deputy Minister, could you give your lecture more quietly?
Minister, thank you for the reply. What is the involvement of community structures in Ngobi in the presidential commitment, and how will intervention empower and create job opportunities for the community? Thank you.
With regard to projects of this nature, where it is as a result of the Siyahlola programme of the President, the normal operational principles apply. What we do in general is to ensure that once a visit has been undertaken and commitments have been made, we mobilise the relevant stakeholders, particularly provincial and national departments and municipalities, to intervene in those areas.
Obviously we expect that the ward committees in those areas will be involved, and if there are steering committees in charge of some projects, these will also be involved, but those issues are dealt with by the relevant departments that are executing those projects. Thank you.
Deputy Speaker, in listening to the response I noted that the election campaign of the Minister has started! Minister, we believe that monitoring and oversight in the Presidency is not just about having "walkabouts" with government officials. If we are serious about oversight, I think it is about time that this Parliament empowered Members of Parliament to keep those who are working with these processes accountable. It is about time that we established a portfolio committee that will exercise oversight over the Presidency.
The President actually took a very big delegation there. Minister Edna Molewa was part of the delegation. On that specific day she promised an additional 14 boreholes. Could the Minister inform us about the additional boreholes that were promised, what the status of these boreholes that Minister Molewa promised is and how far construction is? We are also saying that we expected to hear in the response here today that the project should have been completed in 2012. I thank you.
I think it is the hon member who is engaged in electioneering1 Nevertheless, in response to the question related to Ngobi, we are indicating that once the main pipeline has been connected to the reservoir and the additional boreholes have been put in place, we think that for now there will be sufficient capacity to supply water to the area without additional boreholes needing to be put in place. As we said, by the end of November we expect the process to be completed and people should have a sufficient amount of water. In any case, if there is any shortage, that will be part of the normal operational undertakings by the municipality and the provincial government to ensure that there are a supply of water and services in that area.
Regarding the visit by the President, all that was undertaken has been implemented and will be completed on schedule. Thank you.
Thank you very much, Deputy Speaker, and thank you, Minister. Following your reply, as the person responsible for monitoring and evaluation, I take it that the report that you have just given is very good. Having read your latest monitoring and evaluation of the department, I have said that sometimes you may need a bulletproof vest owing to your frankness.
Having dealt with this issue, there is something I want to ask you about, which you did not mention. It was reported that when the President and the Ministers visited the area, when the tap was opened, water came out. However, a few days after the President's visit the tap had run dry and no water came out. I want to understand, in regard to the work that you did to evaluate what actually happened, what the finding after the President's visit was. Why did the tap run dry? [Time expired.]
Thank you very much, hon member. You will know that, as you said, there were reports in the press that when the President left the water stopped coming out of the taps. The President didn't take the water there. I was with him and he didn't take any water to that area. Water was available on that day. The reports are that some days after we left, the taps ran dry.
Firstly, what I can confirm is that the area has very serious challenges with regard to water. It is a very flat area, it depends mainly on boreholes, and from time to time the boreholes themselves are not in working order.
Secondly, as I indicated in my response, the current capacity of the reservoir is 0,35 ML, and it is only now that that is increasing. Therefore, from time to time the community there will still face challenges relating to water, whether the President has been there or not. However, we are now confident that it will be improved. Thank you. [Applause.]
Particulars regarding identification and analysis of hot spots by National Council against Gender-Based Violence 306. Mrs H Lamoela (DA) asked the Minister of Women, Children and People with Disabilities:
Whether, with reference to her reply to Written Question 444 on 13 May 2013, the National Council against Gender-Based Violence has identified and analysed hot spot areas nationally; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?