Accelerated water works completed for communities around Signal Hill
The North West provincial government has moved to shore up water supply for communities in and around Mahikeng through the Thuntsha Lerole Accelerated Service Delivery Programme, officials said during a site visit to a newly completed water supply project on Tuesday.
The project, funded through the Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG) and implemented by the Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality, serves neighbourhoods around Signal Hill, including Lonely Park, Molelwane and Sonderwater. Provincial and national leaders attended the presentation of the work, underscoring its importance to local service delivery.
North West MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Oageng Molapisi told the gathering that his department had allocated more than R181 million in MIG funding to the Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality to support critical municipal infrastructure development and to address water service and other backlogs.
The water project shown during the programme was valued at more than R118 million. Delegates at the event included Deputy Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies Mondli Gungubele, North West Premier Lazarus Mokgosi, the district municipality executive mayor Khumalo Molefe, and North West MEC for Public Works Elizabeth Mokua.
“The road was implemented at a cost of approximately R2.2 million. The completion of the project has been welcomed by the community and commends the government for the smooth and speedy implementation of the project, which was completed within the planned timeframe and has benefited local residents through employment opportunities,”
The provincial account did not limit the interventions to the water scheme alone; it also highlighted local road improvements linked to the initiative. Molapisi said the road works cost about R2.2 million and provided short-term employment to residents during construction.
Scale and expected beneficiaries
Officials said the MIG-funded programme was being rolled out across Wards 28, 29 and 32 of Mahikeng Local Municipality and would benefit thousands of residents. The presentation offered these population figures for the two wards involved:
| Ward | Population (approx.) |
|---|---|
| Ward 28 | 11 273 |
| Ward 29 | 9 842 |
The two wards together were reported to have a combined population of about 21 115 residents. While precise household figures and the timetable for roll-out to Ward 32 were not provided in the briefing, the presence of senior provincial and national representatives signalled the project’s priority status.
Local implications and outstanding questions
Residents in the affected communities welcomed the completion, according to the provincial account, which also praised the speed of implementation and the creation of local jobs. For Mahikeng households who have endured periodic water interruptions, improved bulk supply and reticulation can ease daily hardship, reduce reliance on tanker deliveries and limit health risks associated with unreliable water.
- Funding: MIG allocation to the district exceeds R181 million.
- Project value: the water scheme presented was valued at more than R118 million.
- Local works: a related road project cost about R2.2 million and offered employment during construction.
Labour and community groups have long argued that infrastructure work must include lasting maintenance plans and skills transfer so that employment created during construction converts into ongoing capacitation for local municipalities. The provincial briefing did not publish detailed maintenance arrangements or the long-term operations budget for the new water assets.
As implementation proceeds, councillors, ward committees and community leaders in Mahikeng will be watching for follow-through on maintenance, water quality monitoring and equitable distribution across wards. The Thuntsha Lerole programme has presented a short-term improvement; sustaining supply will depend on capacitated municipal operations and transparent reporting on service outcomes.
