Dorpelingen from Qholaqhwe gather in a nearby village to collect water from a borehole. Photo: Tladi Moloi
Qholaqhwe Village in the Eastern Free State has had no running water for more than five months due to pumping station errors.
Villagers have resorted to collect untreated water from nearby villages and mountain streams. Older people who are unable to push wheelbarrows or lift water buckets themselves, pay others to get water for them.
Tabita Kokong, a retired person, said that she should spend on R1,000 a month on water. “I live with grandchildren who have to take a bath at school in the morning and I also have to wash their clothes. There is a pile of clothes in the house,” she said.
The majority of the village last had water five months ago and in part of the village they last had water in April 2024.
Reservoirs are too small and the pumping station is not working well because of “random power failure,” said Ward councilor Sashapa Motaung.
Motaung says that this repeatedly appeal to the municipality of Maluti-A-Phofung to solve the problem, have fallen on deaf ears.
Community leader James Majake says that the municipality does not seem to give it. “They know we don’t have any water, but they don’t even send water tankers.”
Maluti-a-Phofung spokesperson Kelopiloe Mongake confirmed that the problem is mainly caused by “reduction of electricity tax” so that the pumping station stops working. A generator has been purchased, but there is not always diesel.
Previously, one of the pumps was broken and had to be repaired. She said that the ‘new leadership’ of the municipality is working on the problem.
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By Tladi Moloi
groundup.org.za
