The contractor chosen to start the project has started work on rebuilding the oThongathi Water Treatment Plant, which was destroyed during the floods earlier this year.
Construction work to restore the facility has started, according to Councillor Mxolisi Kaunda, the mayor of the eThekwini Municipality, with 50% of the project’s personnel coming from the local area.
After the community has been without a reliable supply of water since the plant was washed away, the reconstruction of the facility will help to restore water in the area.
Early this week, Kaunda introduced the contractor who will be rebuilding the treatment plant to the neighbourhood and noted that the appointment of the contractor to start the repair work had been postponed because of an objection made to the municipality when construction work was scheduled to start.
“The protest was overruled, and the contractor recently received a letter authorizing the start of the project this week. For the project, the municipality has allotted more than R31 million.
“We are pleased that half of the labour for the building will come from the ward.
While primarily unskilled labour will be used, skilled labour will also be used when it is available, according to Kaunda.
Additionally, Kaunda stated that local producers will be preferred for the supply of materials, providing that the goods match the necessary requirements.
The Mayor stated that at least 10% of the contract value will go to businesses run by women, young people, individuals with disabilities, and veterans of the armed forces.