Roosenekal community marches for adequate water supply

ROOSENEKAL

Scores of Roosenekal residents in Elias Motsoaledi Local Municipality (EMLM) Ward 30, leaded by the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in Sekhukhune Region, have on Thursday 28 November 2024, marched to deliver a memorandum of demands at the EMLM Satellite Office.

They were complaining about lack of water provision which they claim has for many years hit areas of Roosenekal Township, Makwana Trust, Tight-Wood and Laersdrift.

Residents claim the situation of not having adequate basic water supply from Sekhukhune District Municipality (SDM), has subjected them in spending the little money they have to buy water from those who own boreholes.

They said community members who cannot afford to spend R450-00 to refill a 2200L water storage tank, are urged to risk their lives, resorting to nearest streams and wells to share drinking water with domestic and wild animals.

EFF Chairperson in Sekhukhune Region, Matome Maloba, said the party was marching to stand in solidarity with EMLM Ward 30 residents, aiming to urge the district municipality to address long-standing issues of lack of water provisions in the area.

“We protested because we wanted to support residents of Elias Motsoaledi Ward 30 who are living in tremendous situation of not having adequate basic water supply. Their rights to access sufficient water is enriched in Section 2 Chapter 27(1)(b), which reads together with Water Service Act No 108 of 1997 and also with SDM Free Basic Water Policy of 2022,” explained Maloba.

Maloba said having considering the legislations which cement the constitutional rights of Ward 30 residents, it is safe to say the people of Roosenekal and surroundings have been undermined for a very long time.

Part of their memorandum of demands, Maloba said they want SDM to provide water to Ward 30 residents on daily basis, a clear line of communication between the municipality and residents in terms of breakdowns through SMSs, radios, newspapers or public notice posters and profiling of all residents so that a line of communication becomes consistent.

“We want to assure people of Roosenekal and surroundings that we will fight together to ensure that the dignity of the majority, particularly blacks, is taken into cognizance. We are going to fight the negligence of the water authority, Sekhukhune District Municipality, until the realization and respect of our people is in order,” he said.

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