GGM under fire for building stalls over water pipeline

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25-08-2025
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Letaba Herald
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The EFF in Giyani warns that new municipal market stalls may be built over a main water pipeline, raising safety and planning concerns.

LIMPOPO – The EFF in Giyani alleges that the Greater Giyani Municipality’s market stalls project, recently launched to boost economic activities in the area spanning from Letaba TVET College to Nkhensani Hospital, poses a risk to local communities, as it is being constructed over a water pipeline.

Speaking about the project, EFF chief whip Austin Mabasa, noted that the municipality’s conduct of the construction process in the area did not suggest that its technical team had a map of the area.

“If they had a proper map of the underground infrastructure, they clearly wouldn’t have approved construction over a main water line, as this poses a serious risk of damage,” he said. “Any accidental break could disrupt water supply to a large section of the community and lead to costly repairs as it would require demolition of the market structure.”

Speaking while standing on the site, where the dusty ground was already marked out with white lines showing the planned layout for the new market stalls, Mabasa said the oversight reflects poor planning and a disregard for long-term consequences. “Whoever planned these market stalls had no long-term vision for them,” he said.

Mabasa also accused the municipality of failing to consult the community when planning the construction, arguing that a better location was available. “The site where these market stalls are being built has no public appeal. There’s an open space between Giyani High and Vuxakeni Hospital that could attract more people and stimulate economic activity if the stalls were constructed there,” he said.

However, Giyani Municipality’s spokesperson, Steve Mavunda, denied that the municipality was constructing market stalls over the main pipeline.

He said the project was being implemented in conjunction with a Project Steering Committee [PSC] and that there was no way they could build anything that would compromise the pipeline without them knowing about it.

EFF Chief Whip Austin Mabasa points to the site where a water pipeline allegedly burst while the municipality was digging. Photo: Orlando Chauke

“The project is being implemented in consultation with the community through the PSC, CLO, councillors, and social facilitator. This team was established to identify, address, or escalate issues related to the community,” he explained.

“We can confirm that, according to the site markings showing where the stalls will be constructed, the existing pipe will not be located under the buildings, as our project engineers are fully aware of its presence.

“It must be borne in mind that the project is intended to provide quality trading structures for informal traders. Therefore, the municipality will ensure that construction activities do not, in any way, negatively affect any existing infrastructure,” he said.