Water scarcity woes continue to haunt Moteti Villagers

Moteti

Residents of Moteti Village outside Groblersdal have expressed their frustrations after boreholes projects, which were set to alleviate water shortages in the village as a temporary solution were halted since November 2023.

The projects were an initiative response by Sekhukhune District Municipality (SDM) after the community of Moteti, leaded by Moteti Concerned Community Forum (MCCF), engaged the district municipality to seek their intervention to fight draught in the village.

Moteti Village in Elias Motsoaledi Local Municipality (EMLM), is one of the areas of Moutse that experience a serious shortage of drinkable water. Villagers survive by drawing water from the nearest rivers and wells and some buy water from those who own boreholes in their yards.

MCCF Chairperson, Booker Makofane, told the publication that they were happy with the interim solutions but now they are disappointed that the projects were called-off without any valid reason a week after their establishment.

“This is a very serious situation, we have been without drinkable water for years. We were happy about the projects that should have been completed by now. There is no difference at all, we are now sitting without water since the dawn of democracy,” he said.

According to Makofane, the agreement during the meetings, the district municipality should have constructed 16 boreholes to supply the whole village while waiting for permanent solutions.

“Only four of the 16 boreholes were utilized and the whole fourteen were not implemented. Part of the permanent solution was that the old water bulk pipeline, which was constructed by the Mpumalanga Government be refurbished and supply drinkable water direct to residents in their yards. The situation is now getting serious. It is unfortunate that these temporary and permanent solutions seems likely not to happen and residents will have to be subjected to continue getting dirty water from rivers and nearest streams,” he said.

Makofane indicated that they believe that some of councillors and officials have halted the projects to benefit from water tankering programmes that supply the village on temporary basis.

“We are aware of councillors and government officials who sabotage the boreholes projects for self-gain. The water tanker programme is inadequate and could not supply the whole village with water. We want senior officials within the district municipality to step up and intervene to solve the problem,” he said.

Makofane threatened that residents will resort to a total-shutdown if SDM does not consider resolving their water scarcity issues.

“We demand water, we have noted that since the end of apartheid in 1994, our community is busy languishing in poverty and water scarcity. Water is one of our basic needs. People of Moteti and the nearest villages continue to suffer under Sekhukhune District Municipality where leaders are selling water and also intimidate those who expose them,” he said.

In October 2023, Moteti residents staged a total-shutdown complaining about water shortages and ward demarcations.

During the demonstrators, the community used stones and burning tyres to barricade the busiest R573 (Moloto Road) and the D856 Road that links Moteti and Dennilton.

The protest ended after officials from SDM and EMLM came to address the community and making some of the commitments that includes the currently called-off boreholes intervention projects.

SDM Spokesperson, Lemson Moropjane, could not reply to Sekhukhune Times’ messages when contacted for a comment.