Resident pleads for more water for Bhekuzulu
Mr Ndlovu describes how he has witnessed the water crisis bringing out the best in some people, people who have stepped up to help their fellow residents cope by sharing their resources with others, and the worst in others.
Estella Naicker
“POLITICS has ruined everything for us,” is one Bhekuzulu resident’s upset response when asked about how the community is coping with the water crisis.
“The previous council and the current council are constantly fighting. If a JoJo tank was placed on a site by one political party, then the other political party doesn’t want to assist to fill the tank with water,” explained Madoda Ndlovu. “It makes me very sad.”
Mr Ndlovu went on to describe how he has witnessed the water crisis bringing out the best in some people, people who have stepped up to help their fellow residents cope by sharing their resources with others, and the worst in others.
“Right at the beginning, the municipality did try its best to ensure that we had access to water. They had placed a JoJo tank in most corners of Bhekuzulu, but these have all been stolen. The municipality now sends a water tanker to my area, ward 10, twice a week, but the water is not enough for the 2 000 or so people that live in my ward, and the water tanker is often empty before everyone has had a chance to collect water,” he continued.
Mr Ndlovu feels that the installation of more JoJo tanks in Bhekuzulu would only be feasible if the tanks are placed in secure areas that already have access control and security guards, such as schools and clinics.
“Not only are the JoJo tanks being stolen but there have been incidents where selfish people have put dead cats in the tanks to contaminate the water. At some water collection points, all the taps have been stolen. The best solution is for the municipality to look at the possibility of digging more boreholes. Kwabhanya School has actually taken the initiative of digging a borehole themselves, the community sponsored the taps and now people in that area have access to water. I would like to appeal to local government and to businesses to assist Bhekuzulu’s residents with more boreholes. I am sure that there are kind-hearted people out there who are willing. We need the water,” pleaded Mr Ndlovu.
“There is a borehole at King Zwelithini Hall, and all it needs is for a pump to be installed. I do not mean to discredit the municipality. I know they did try to make sure that we have some water, but it is just not enough to cater for the number of people that live in Bhekuzulu.”
Mr Ndlovu, himself, buys drinking water for his family and does his best to harness rain water for washing and cleaning. “If we run out, then I, too, have to fetch water at the water tanker but we are fortunate to also have kind people in the community who have installed their own tanks and boreholes on their property when the drought began. Those who are able to walk to these homes for water, are never turned away. They share what they have, happily.”
He concluded with a word of reproach for those who wash their cars and do their laundry at the water collection points. “The water is for everybody and we need to use every drop wisely,” he said.
