Umhlabawethu Construction Owner Mr KP Siyaya Matheni

Ophethe Umhlabawethu Construction UMnu KP Siyaya Matheni

Construction and rehabilitation of water catchments continue ahead of rainy season

Water is a vital necessity for life that needs to be responsibly managed, more so in the water scarce area of Zululand. To this end, ZAC is currently in the process of building new and rehabilitating existing water catchments in local communities to assist in the provision of water to communities.

ZAC Community Development Projects Engineering Superintendent Renier Van Rooyen explains that the rehabilitation of the dams is necessary because they were previously damaged by soil erosion. He adds that sand build-up during the rainy season also caused them to reduce significantly in depth.

“Now in order to rectify this, during the dry seasons we remove that soil and compact it against the dam wall to make it deep again.” He also emphasises that when they do rehabilitate dams, they ensure that they do not make the dams too deep otherwise objects could fall in or people and livestock could drown in them.

To date, with the help of contractors the mine has rehabilitated four dams throughout different communities and is in the process of building nine completely new ones using bulldozers, backhoe tractors and excavators. Renier adds that the average dimensions of the new dams are 40 m by 20 m and 2.5 m deep.

Supporting Small Businesses

The construction and rehabilitation of the dams is jointly undertaken by ZAC and small, historically disadvantaged contracting companies , thus creating job opportunities and providing them with new work experiences to carry forward for use on future projects.

Mr KP Siyaya, owner of Umhlabawethu Construction is responsible for the construction of three dams in Matheni. The first one is at Manhlanhla, under Induna Dlamini, the second one is at Nzama, under Induna Dlame and the third one is at Nhloyane, under Induna Msezane.

“It has been very gratifying to be given the chance to work on the construction of these dams that will be providing water for the community. I am very grateful and appreciative to ZAC for the opportunity,” he states.

Ukwakhiwa nokulungiswa kwezindawo ezimumatha amanzi kuyaqhubeka zingakani izimvula

Amanzi ayinto emqoka empilweni okudingeka ukuthi aphathwe ngobunono, ikakhulu endaweni edlange isomiso njengaKwaZulu. Yingakho i-ZAC iphezu komkhankaso wokwakha nokulungisa izindawo ezimumatha amanzi endaweni ukwelekelela ngokuhlinzeka umphakathi ngamanzi.

UNsumpa wezobuNjiniyela bemiSebenzi yokuThuthukisa umPhakathi u-Renier van Rooyen uthe kubalulekile ukulungisa amadamu njengoba ayelinyazwe wukuguguleka kwenhlabathi. Uthi inhlabathi iba yingqumba ngesikhathi semvula okwenza ukuthi asheshe agcwale amadamu.

“Manje ukuze silungise loku, ngezikhathi zokoma sikhipha inhlabathi, siyigqinqe odongeni lwedamu ukuze silenze ukuthi liphinde lishone.” Ubuye wagcizelela ukuthi uma kulungiswa amadamu, baqinisekisa ukuthi abawenzi ashone kakhulu ukugwema ukuthi kuwele phakathi izinto, abantu nemfuyo.”

Kuze kube manje ngosizo losonkontileka, imayini isikwazile ukulungisa amadamu amane ezindaweni ezehlukene kanti iphezu komkhankaso wokwakha amadamu ayisishiyagalolunye amasha isebenzisa ogandaganda, ogandaganda abanegeja emhlane nemishini yokumba. U-Renier uthi ububanzi bamadamu amasha buwu-40m ngo-20m bese kuthi ukushona abe wu-2.5m.

Ukweseka Amabhizinisi Amancane

Ukwakhiwa nokulungiswa kwamadamu kwenziwa ngokuhlanganyela ne-ZAC nezinkampani ezincane ezazincishwe amathuba bese ngaleyo ndlela kwakheke amathuba omsebenzi, zithole isipiliyoni esisha sokwenza imisebenzi yangomuso.

UMnu KP Siyaya, umnikazi we-Umhlabawethu Construction, ubhekene nomsebenzi wokwakhiwa kwamadamu amathathu eMatheni. Elokuqala liseManhlanhla, engaphansi kweNduna uDlamini, elesibili likwaNzama, engaphansi kweNduna uDlame bese elesithathu liseNhloyane, engaphansi kweNduna uMsezane.

“Kube mnandi kakhulu ukuthola ithuba lokwenza umsebenzi wokwakha la madamu azoletha amanzi emphakathini. Ngibonga kakhulu ithuba kwi-ZAC,” kusho yena.