Department of Water and Sanitation defends decision to end workers’ contracts at Mpumalanga project [SOUND]

# The Department of Water and Sanitation says the termination of contracts for 178 workers on the Vlakfontein Canal Rehabilitation Project in Standerton in Mpumalanga is not a retrenchment process. Spokesperson Sean Phillips says the employees were hired on project-based contracts, which have been discontinued due to operational and infrastructure challenges. Contracts will end on 30 June. He says the project could be revived once the Vaal River sub-system becomes fully operational: