Lack of drinkable water claims life of disabled Phokwane resident

Phokwane

The Democratic Union Party (DUP) has on Thursday 23 November, opened a negligence case against the embattled Sekhukhune District Municipality (SDM) after a man living with a disability died when trying to fetch water at Phokwane Village outside Jane Furse in Makhuduthamaga Local Municipality (MLM).

The deceased, Jerry Matlala, fell in the well and drowned when he was fetching drinking water a few metres from his home on 22 November in the afternoon.

The victim’s brother, Puleng Matlala, said the family was notified by one of the community members who was at the same water source to draw water when she noticed the floating body of the deceased.

“She immediately come to inform us about the incident. We immediately rushed to the well with an aim to rescuing him and unfortunately my brother had already passed away when we retrieve him from the well,” he said.

Matlala indicated that he believes this could have been prevented if the municipality could have given them water which is a basic need for the community.

“My brother wouldn’t have died if we had taps in our yard. My brother is gone, he won’t come back again,’ he said.

DUP Leader, Tonic Manchidi, said the party has opened a negligence case against SDM at the Nebo Magistrate’s Court.

“For long, the people of Sekhukhune have been denied their constitutional right for access to clean running water and are forced to go seek water in wells that they share with wild animals,” he said.

Manchidi added that the DUP has for some time engaged the Makhuduthamaga Local Municipality, pointing that vulnerable communities are exposed to many dangers when trying to access water in wells far from the villages in the mountains.

“Previously, a case of rape and other cases of robberies has been reported in the region. Throughout Limpopo in general and Sekhukhune in particular, lack of access to clean water infringes on the communities basic human rights. This has negatively impacted in the quality of life and the economy of the province,” explained Manchidi.

He indicated that SDM is in contempt of a Pretoria High Court order, which has ordered the district municipality to supply villages with water stored in water storage tanks around the villages bi-weekly.

“The court order further compelled the district municipality to devise and implement a long-term sustainable plan for the supply of water to the communities. To this date, the district municipality continues to fail the communities in disregarding the court order,” he said.

Mancidi said further cases will be opened with the Public Protector South Africa and the Human Rights Commission of South Africa.

‘This death is one too many and we cannot allow this government to continue ruling in disdain contempt of its mandate. The DUP sends its heartfelt condolences to the Matlala family on their loss,” he said.

Lemson Moropjane, SDM Spokesperson, said they were only alerted about the incident on Tuesday 28 November and the matter is being investigated.