By OBAKENG MAJE
The meeting that was scheduled to take place between residents of Lokgabeng village, near Taung and the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mpompati District Municipality over water scarcity is underway at a local community hall.
Even though there were no disruptions of water since the community embarked on protests, talks are continuing. The residents embarked on protests and barricaded R57 road that links Taung and Reivilo with burning tyres and shrubs last week.
According to one of community leaders, Mothohela Motshabi, it has been three months without access to clean and drinkable water. Motshabi said, residents are now forced to travel a long distance to fetch water.
“It is being three months since our taps ran dry. We have been trying to solicit answers from the district municipality, but our attempts were futile. We will continue to barricade the road until our grievances are resolved,” Motshabi said.
He further said, some residents are forced to use donkey carts to fetch water for household usage, while others have to pay an exorbitant amount of money to buy water. Motshabi added that, life has never been easy as most of the community members are unemployed and cannot afford to buy water sold to them in the village.
It is suspected that decades of chronic underfunding of water infrastructure are putting many villages at worse risk. Other residents urged the municipality to address the investment gap in water and sanitation and refrain from perceiving these services mainly as social issues rather than economic ones.
Meanwhile, the Member of Mayoral Committee (MMC), who is responsible for Infrastructure at Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality, Pico Seepamere said: “We have a challenge with water machinery that was vandalised after the cable was stolen. So, we are struggling to find the same model of stolen cable.
“However, what we have done today is to re-energise another pumping machinery that can pump up to 1.2 litres per second. The one that is broken was able to pump 1.6 litres per second.”
Seepamere said the machinery in place can pump water for ten hours, then take a two hours interval. He added that, when the machinery reaches its highest level, can be able to supply water to all residents of Lokgabeng.
“As the municipality, we are working on a permanent everlasting solution. However, to redeem the situation, we have also provided the residents with jojo tanks.
“We will also have a consultative engagement with residents on Monday, where all stakeholders will be present. I believe that the municipality would procure a needed engine if the needs arise so that our people could get access to clean and drinkable water,” he said.
Meanwhile, the R580 million Taung /Naledi Bulk Water Supply Project launched by the late Minister for Water and Environmental Affairs, Edna Molewa back in 2012 is still incomplete. The project was expected to augment the bulk water supply scheme and bring relief to thousands of villagers who had to travel long distances to draw water.
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