BURGERSFORT- For years residents of Dresden have been experiencing water problems in their village and they have now decided to take the matter into their own hands.
“The community gathered and, out of desperation for water, decided to draw it illegally,” said Mr Surprise Malapane a resident from the village.
Each family contributed a sum of money to buy pipes that will enable them to draw water from the main line that was installed by the Sekhukhune District Municipality (SDM). Malapane said this came after fights had broken out between the villagers and other sections of the rural community who had access to water sources but were unwilling to share it.
Residents said they had been promised water ages ago. “We had been suffering but no one wanted to help, all we got were just promises,” they complained.
According to them the district municipality sidelined their houses when they installed water pipes. “They told us that we were not on their map to receive water.”
Wilson Komane of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) said their area had been neglected by the local municipality. “We are tired of asking for water and services from the municipality, they are corrupt, now we are doing it for ourselves,” he said. Komane said the area had problems with roads and electricity as well.
SDM’s spokesman Mr Willie Mosoma was not available for comment at the time of going to print.
