Some residents in the Vhembe district in Limpopo have expressed appreciation at government’s efforts for distributing water tankers to water-scarce villages.
The Department of Water and Sanitation has distributed thousands of water tankers country-wide as temporary measures to address water shortage problems. This in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The Dzwerani-Maematshena community also stated that it is challenging to stay home and follow the regulations of the lockdown as they have to go out to fetch water.
The residents say the water tankers distributed by the Water and Sanitation Department will help as a temporary relief.
A Dzwerani-Maematshena resident says: “The solution in this village is to connect the reservoir that is in our neighboring village. We want to comply with the call from the President and stay indoors but without water, it is impossible. Before you bring that temporary solution we have a permanent solution that is to connect the reservoir that is less than 10 kilometers.”
Below is the President address on lockdown:
Meanwhile, at Ha-Masakona village, outside Louis Trichardt, residents are also experiencing challenges of accessing drinking water. Each household has to contribute R200 for drilling a borehole.
Some have expressed unhappiness about making contributions as the government is bringing some relief.
A Ha-Masakona resident says: “We are contributing R200 per house and we are not happy about this because there’s a municipality or government that can assist us getting water. Now we are not at a safe side because there’s a coronavirus.”
However the Chairperson of the Pro-Makhado Task Team in Ha-Masakona, Ndivhuwo Mashego, says some residents are making the contributions willingly.
“All residents came together and took a petition to contribute R200 each household for water provision to improve our lives, we have drilled a borehole.”
Head of the Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation at Ha-Masakona – chief Mpfariseni Mawela, agrees that the water tankers will bring relief.
“We have made arrangements with the councillor who told us that we will get water tankers that will be helpful in the village because residents do not have water, they can’t even wash hands to combat the spread of the virus.”
Also, the Vhembe district municipality spokesperson Matodzi Ralushai says they need sufficient budget to address the water problems.”
“We have received water tanks and, 108 have already been delivered to the district there’s an appointed contractor who is busy installing in identified areas. The alternative is also drilling boreholes and also to upgrade boreholes.”
Several people in various parts of the province are still faced with the challenge of accessing clean drinking water.
