Load shedding leads to water crisis in Seshego

POLOKWANE – THE Polokwane Municipality has assured residents that they will be provided with water tankers should they experience a shortage.

This was announced after residents in various parts of the city were left without water last weekend due to load-shedding.

According to municipal spokesperson Tidimalo Chuene, Lepelle Northern Water informed them that due to load shedding, they were unable to pump enough water to Polokwane from the Olifantspoort plant, which also supplies Seshego area.

Chuene said townships were not the only areas affected. “Areas such as Ster Park, Flora Park and Serala View were also affected by the shortage of water due to low reservoir levels as a result of load shedding affecting supply from the Ebenezer Dam,” Chuene said.

In an interview with Seshego ward 11 councillor, Queen Mehlape, confirmed that due to load shedding, water could not be pumped to the reservoir. Mehlape said most parts of Seshego were affected and as a result, the municipality had to arrange water tankers to Zone 8 residents with water.

One of the residents in Zone 8, Tumelo Khune, said she realised there was no water around 10:00 last Sunday. “I had been planning to do my washing but couldn’t because of the shortage. I was lucky to have a bottle of drinking water in the fridge and some take-away food to survive the day,” she said.

She said the water shortage also affected her job. “I work at a salon in town and I didn’t go because our salon also did not have water,” she said.

However, some parts in the area were not badly affected. Dorophina Makgele said she experienced only five hours of water shortage from 12:00 to 17:00.

Chuene advised residents to use water sparingly as reservoir levels remained low. She said the municipality would continue to supply water through water tankers to areas experiencing a dire shortage. All water related issues could be reported to (015) 290 2376/2000.