KOU-KAMMA – The Sarah Baartman District Municipality (SBDM) has assured residents that the Thornham Informal Settlement Upgrade Project in the Kou-Kamma Municipality has not been abandoned, confirming that the project remains underway and has a revised completion date of 30 September following delays experienced during construction.
According to the municipality, the Thornham Informal Settlement Upgrade Project forms part of the Informal Settlements Upgrading Programme (ISUP), which aims to improve residents’ living conditions through the provision of essential municipal services.
The municipality said Lilitha Project Managers were appointed as the Professional Service Provider responsible for the planning, design and construction supervision of the project.
Their scope of work includes:
• Social facilitation and household enumeration;
• Preliminary and detailed designs;
• Tender documentation and procurement support;
• Preparation of working drawings;
• Construction supervision; and
• Project close-out.
The municipality indicated that the project commenced with an inception meeting held on 27 August 2024 between the SBDM, Kou-Kamma Local Municipality officials and the Professional Service Provider to confirm the project scope and implementation programme.
This was followed by a public participation meeting on 29 September 2024, where beneficiaries and Thornham Board members were introduced to the project, and a Project Steering Committee (PSC) was elected to represent the community throughout implementation.
The project deliverables were presented to and agreed upon by the Department of Human Settlements, Sarah Baartman District Municipality and the Thornham Project Steering Committee.
These include:
• Household standpipes for water supply;
• Household low-flush VIP toilets for sanitation;
• Refuse skip bins and household wheelie bins for waste management;
• Access roads; and
• Street lighting.
“The municipality is not aware of any deviation from this agreed project scope. Should any amendments become necessary during implementation, these would be discussed with all relevant stakeholders in accordance with the approved project governance processes,” the municipality said.
The municipality maintains that the project has been implemented in accordance with all applicable legislative and policy requirements, including the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA), Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA), Municipal Supply Chain Management Regulations, the Informal Settlements Upgrading Programme Framework, and the conditions attached to Human Settlements grant funding.
The municipality said appropriate governance structures were established to oversee implementation, including the appointment of the Professional Service Provider through approved procurement processes, project governance and reporting mechanisms, as well as continuous monitoring of project progress and expenditure by officials from both the municipality and the Department of Human Settlements.
It added that technical meetings, site inspections and stakeholder engagement sessions have been conducted throughout the implementation of the project.
“The municipality further confirms that all expenditure incurred has been directed towards achieving the approved project objectives and is supported by work completed on site and certified through approved payment certificates,” the municipality said.
The municipality also said public participation remains a fundamental requirement of the Informal Settlements Upgrading Programme.
It said it recognises the importance of ensuring that communities are informed and actively involved throughout the implementation process.
“Since the inception of the project, stakeholder engagement has taken place through community meetings, technical project meetings, site visits and ongoing consultation with both the Project Steering Committee and Thornham Board members,” the municipality said.
The municipality indicated that although the project has experienced delays, it has not been abandoned.
It said the delays were due to circumstances beyond the contractor’s control, namely:
• Abnormal weather conditions: Recent heavy rainfall resulted in the loss of 20 working days, as site conditions were unsuitable for construction.
• Rock excavation: During excavation for the conservancy tanks, hard rock was encountered approximately 400 mm below ground level. Excavation to the required depth of approximately 2.2 metres required heavy machinery and additional excavation work that was not included in the original construction programme. This resulted in an additional 19 working days.
• Variation in earthworks: Additional earthworks required during implementation resulted in a further 23 working days being added to the construction programme.
The municipality said these delays have been communicated to the community throughout the implementation of the project.
As a result, the municipality approved an extension of time for the contractor, with the revised project completion date being 30 September.
The municipality further said a copy of the extension approval was provided to Thornham Board members for their information.
“The Sarah Baartman District Municipality remains committed to implementing the Thornham Informal Settlement Upgrade Project in a transparent, accountable and responsible manner. The municipality continues to monitor the project closely to ensure its successful completion and remains committed to delivering the agreed infrastructure and improved municipal services to the residents of Thornham,” the municipality said.
The municipality also encouraged community members to obtain project information through established stakeholder engagement structures to ensure that concerns are addressed through factual and constructive dialogue.
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