Who is responsible for the security of the infrastructure in Musina?

Following the week-long violent protests in Musina for water in May this year, the Vhembe District Municipality frantically started drilling boreholes to avert any further disruptions. However, two months down the line, residents from some of Musina’s townships still complain about the intermittent water supply.

In July this year, Ward 6 residents complained that they still only had access to water at night, when going out to fetch water somewhere else was too dangerous, and that, by the time they woke up in the morning, the taps had run dry again.

On Monday, 8 August 2022, the situation was still unchanged.

What seems to be baffling the community is a certain message that was circulated on one of Musina’s community WhatsApp groups on 5 July. The message, seemingly forwarded by one of Musina Municipality’s officials, suggested that Vhembe should provide security to guard the boreholes “because people were vandalising the infrastructure”.

Residents were apparently under the impression that the Musina Municipality already had security guards in place to protect all its infrastructure.

Musina To The Front’s secretary, Mr Reekson Matamela, said he was very surprised to note that the authorities had suggested outsourcing security guards to safeguard Musina’s water infrastructure. 

Last year, Limpopo Mirror reported that Musina Municipality had awarded a tender of almost R43 million for the provision of security services for the next three years. This was to protect municipal property and equipment. The tender from Mahosi Protection Security Services for an amount of R43 392 081 was accepted. On average, that amounts to R14, 46 million per year.

“It appears that the municipality either does not trust its own security, or that the company was appointed only to milk funds. Either way, this means that none of the municipal property and infrastructure is really protected,” said Matamela.

Questions were raised as to why the municipality had awarded the tender to Mahosi Protection Security Services as some of the 45 companies that had submitted tenders had been much cheaper than Mahosi Protection Security.

About this the spokesperson for Musina Municipality, Mr Wilson Dzebu, replied that supply-chain management policy did not award according to price only. “Other considerations as per advert and tender documents are considered,” he said.

Asked who was responsible to secure Musina’s water infrastructure and who was responsible for paying a security company, Mr Dzebu said that all water-related issues were the responsibility of the Vhembe District Municipality.

News - Date: 13 August 2022

Bernard Chiguvare

Bernard Chiguvare is a Zimbabwean-born journalist. He writes mainly for the online publication, Groundup.

Email: [email protected]