MPD's E9m rig breaks down, stuck in farm

ZANDONDO – The controversial ground water drilling rig bought by government two years ago, at more than E9 million, has broken down with extensive damage – and is practically wasting away.

Government bought the truck from former Senator Mpheni Dlomo.

For close to two months, it has been stuck at a farm in Zandondo, where it had been hired to drill a water borehole.

It broke down on October 4, 2008 and has remained in the same position since then. When it broke down, it had already drilled a 60-metre deep borehole.

The truck-mounted rig got stuck underground and could not be pulled back up because of the damage to its power-take off shaft.

Investigations by this newspaper revealed that when the rig damaged the shaft, several of its hydraulic pipes were torn. Thousands of Emalangeni will be required to repair the damage.

The Times visited the farm, about 18 kilometres from Croydon, near Dvokolwako and found the truck that carries the rig still in the same position it was when it started drilling.

Most of its wheels on the left side are hanging in the air because this is the position the truck takes when the shaft goes underground. The oil that was spilled when the hydraulics pipes were shredded is still visible underneath the truck.

An officer who claimed to work for government was found on guard at the site. A small tent has been erected for him because he spends both days and nights at the farm, watching over the drilling rig truck. He declined to entertain questions from this newspaper.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy is in charge of water drill rigs.

The truck is registered under its Department of Geology.

Simon Maphanga, Director in the department, said the rig had drilled and finished the borehole when it broke down. "It has remained at the same drilling rig site since October 4 because its power take-off shaft and some hydraulic pipes broke," he said.

Responding to a question from this newspaper, he admitted that getting parts to repair the rig was not an easy task. Maphanga said the rig was manufactured in the United States of America.

"Some components or parts of the drill rigs have to be obtained from the manufacturers in the USA and the orders are placed via the manufacturers’ southern African regional offices, such as Atlas Copco in Johannesburg," he said.

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