Water crisis deepens in FTLM villages, residents forced to share water with animals

NGWAABE

Thousands of residents of draught stricken Fetakgomo Tubatse Local Municipality (FTLM) and surroundings places, say they are still subjected to share drinking water with animals as Sekhukhune District Municipality (SDM) fails to deliver clean drinkable water.

This is despite government’s promises to provide clean water following the construction of a multi-billion rand De Hoop Dam which was officially opened in 2014.

The 347 million cubic metre De Hoop Dam, which was constructed with a tune of R3,4 Billion, was officially unveiled by then President Jacob Zuma, aiming to alleviate water scarcity in about 170 villages of Sekhukhune and neighbouring provinces.

A community leader, Evans Mabowa, told Sekhukhune Times that the situation has becoming worse as the majority of residents are now walking through thick and thorny bushes to reach wells in order to access drinking water.

“Some of residents rely on borehole water which is expensive to afford and insufficient to meet the demand. Most of them, the only way they could get water is to go to the wells in the bushes which is risky,” he said.

Mabowa added that the hard-hit communities are Ngwaabe residents who experienced the struggle of not having water for over 30 years.

“This situation hit very hard on residents such as the Tsakane community around Papong Primary School, who are still drinking water with animals from Tubatse River after 30 years of so called democracy. Villages like Ga-Rantho, Ga-Maphopha and Maseven are still buying water from the trucks even now,” explained Mabowa.

According to Mabowa, early in 2023, a water reticulation project commenced at various villages in the Ngwaabe area, however, it was left incomplete and no one is giving clarity to the community.

“The project was abandoned as a result of tailing of corruption after the funds were misused for self-benefit. We suspect that the money was finished before the project is completed as the site manager resigned in the middle of the project without any explanations,” he said.

Mabowa added that the community is worried because government authorities including the president, visited the area to make empty promises and later disappeared.

“The dam was launched by former President Jacob Zuma some years ago but still to date people share drinking water with animals. Then Limpopo Premier Stan Mathabatha also came here few years ago to launch Sekhukhune District Development Model which is not existing even now. The current President, Cyril Ramaphosa was at Ga-Motodi recently to sing the same song of Sekhukhune District Development Model that doesn’t still,” Mabowa said.

He said the FTLM community feels like they are neglected and taken for granted by the government.

“It is concerning because there are persistent rains and the De Hoop Dam is overflowing and spilling but we don’t have water here. We are pleading to the Department of Water and Sanitation to intervene on this matter before it gets out of hand,” he said.

At the time of going to print, SDM Spokesperson, Lemson Moropjane, could not respond to the enquiries sent by the publication.