Makopung residents among locals affected by SDM failure to provide water

MAKOPUNG

Over 30 years into a democratic South Africa, residents of Makopung in Leboeng remain in disbelief at the appalling lack of access to a basic human right – water.
Villagers in this area of the Fetakgomo Tubatse Local Municipality (FTLM) Ward 1 said they are forced to share water with their livestock. “We take turns with our cattle and wild baboons at a water well. We have no choice as most of us are unemployed and cannot afford to buy water.”

According to these residents, they have been engaging both the Sekhukhune District Municipality (SDM) and the FTLM since 2008, but both municipalities had been ignoring their water challenges. “We recently took a decision to report the water challenges to the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC), as well as the Public Protector SA. They are now our only hope as we have exhausted all measures,” said resident, Matshona Mahubedu.

With March being a Human Rights Month, residents said they feel no need to celebrate due to their challenges. On March 6, these residents took their challenges to the SABC’s Thobela FM show, Hlokwa la tsela.
Speaking during the current affairs show, the SDM executive mayor, Cllr Minah Bahula, said she was unaware of the community’s water problems. She said residents should not escalate their grievances to the Public Protector and SAHRC, but instead report them to her office and that of the FTLM mayor, Eddie Maila. “Next week, myself and Maila will visit Makopung and solve these problems and deliver water to the people,” promised Bahula.

Bahula said that they are in advanced stages of planning to allow the FTLM to temporarily assist with the water challenges in their areas. “We will soon task the FTLM to replace and maintain some of the infrastructure in their municipality. This will allow rapid response when our people are experiencing water challenges.”

However, this publication has more than three letters written to the office of Bahula, dating back to 2023. The letters were submitted by the Makopung Water Committee, the Ba bina Nare ba Kgwete Tribal Committee, and a concerned community member from Ward 1. All these letters were directed to Bahula and complained about the scarcity of water in the village.

This publication has also previously forwarded inquiries to the SDM communications department concerning the plight of Makopung residents.
On March 9, this reporter engaged the SDM spokesman, Lemson Morapyane, about their plans in Makopung.
“The executive mayor, Bahula, is aware of the water supply challenges affecting Ward 1 in Fetakgomo Tubatse. The municipality acknowledges the concerns raised by the community.
“She has committed to visit the area soon to engage with residents and relevant stakeholders in order to establish the cause of the problem and work towards a solution. The SDM regrets the situation, as similar challenges continue to affect a number of areas within the district, and remains committed to improving water service delivery.”

In recent years, local communities in Tubatse have alleged that the SDM repeatedly promised plans and projects to address ongoing water shortages. Among these was the now-defunct Operation Tlema Tekkie re Nwe Meetse – loosely translated as “Let us work hard to ensure people have water” – launched by the former executive mayor, Julia Mathebe.

Despite its intentions, the project collapsed without ever delivering water to the people. The former minister of water and sanitation, Senzo Mchunu, currently suspended as police minister, also promised to fast-track the De Hoop Dam Scheme.

This has not yielded the desired results, with communities near the dam still being without water. When the SDM’s current executive mayor, Bahula, was inaugurated in November 2023, she stated, “Water is a fundamental human right, yet too many residents in our district continue to struggle with accessing this essential resource.”

Bahula then introduced the borehole flagship programme, saying it was just one element of a broader strategy to tackle water shortages. More than two years and three months into her leadership, residents in most parts of Sekhukhune are still without water.