Amplats reaches out to community

In an ambitious project of Anglo American Platinum (Amplats), the villages in the Mapela area outside Mokopane will over the next 10 years be provided with boreholes that will ensure a sustainable supply of potable water for more than 70 000 people and their animals.
Amplats says in a media release that the residents of 42 villages in the area were provided with water by means of trucks for several years and that the company is now looking at a more permanent solution.
“The company aims to do this by drilling and maintaining boreholes in the villages for the next 10 years to ensure that the villages of Mapela have access to free and clean water. The first village to benefit in this area was Scheming village. They now have a project which delivers 80 000 litres per day to over
2 000 village dwellers. To them, this means the days of sharing dirty river water with animals or paying huge amounts of money for drinkable water are over,” the statement reads.
Not only is access to clean water appreciated by humans, but their livestock as well. Amplats quotes cattle herder Elias Langa saying that many villagers are thankful of the change brought by the Hall Core Water Mapela project. “This water helps us and our animals. Our animals no longer walk long distances to get water because water is just around the corner and it’s not just any water but fresh water,” Langa said and added that his cattle have started to look fresh as well. He appreciated the fact that project planners also created a special point for the local animals to drink water from. “We thank Anglo American Platinum because it shows that they were not only thinking about people but our animals as well,” Langa is quoted to have said.
Anglo American Platinum partnered with the Mapela Traditional Authority, the Mogala­kwena Municipality and the Mapela Task Team and Hall Core Water Mapela, a newly-formed company co-owned by the community, to sustainably increase water supply in the area. “The project will be implemented in all the 42 villages and at least 88 people will be permanently employed for the next 10 years. This project is about more than just water, it is also about improving the lives of the people living in these villages through job opportunities and skills development. Security guards, technical assistants and artisans will be engaged to maintain the boreholes,” the statement concludes.

Story: BARRY VILJOEN
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