Daily 2km walk to river for water

Just 35km from East London’s city centre, villagers have to walk up to 2km to to fetch water from the nearest river. Residents in Gwiqi Village, Nxarhuni say although there are communal taps in their village, they have been dry for more than five years and the long walk for water has become part of their daily routine.

On Saturday the Dispatch saw them walking with buckets of water on their heads, while others pushed wheelbarrows with empty buckets.

The Dispatch followed a group of about 20 people all loaded with buckets and plastic bags of dirty laundry, down a well-worn path through the bushes to the river.

Nonyameko Zweni, 58, who was among the group, explained they were walking to the river to do their laundry.

“This is what we used to do growing up, but still 22 years after democracy we are doing the same thing, and we are supposed to believe that we are free?

“We do not want the IEC in this community this year, because we don’t know what we are voting for.

“Every day we walk this walk to get water to drink, to cook and to wash.”

Nohambile Molose said they had become used to sharing water with stray dogs and goats.

“We’re not even disgusted any more.

“Those that are knowledgeable put a bit of bleach in the water, others may boil it, but there are those that know nothing about purifying water.

“We are living like animals ourselves.”

Ward councillor Mawethu Marata said the villagers had been stealing water from the municipality and it was their fault the community of Gwiqi had no water.

“Communal taps have been placed around central parts of the village, but the residents are in a rush for a better life and have illegally connected their own taps and flushing toilets, which the infrastructure in that area does not allow for, which has caused the problem.

“Water is available in other parts of Nxarhuni Village, particularly those who abide by the law and are making use of long drop toilets and communal taps provided by the municipality.”

Gwiqi resident Nonezile Mgangala, 58, said some residents who could afford to put taps inside their yard had done so, but this was common practice throughout villages in the area.

“Not all of us have illegally connected taps into our homes, but I don’t blame those who have.

“I don’t believe the reason we don’t have water is because of them, because in other villages where people have connected taps in their yard, water is still coming out.

“The councillor himself, his family home has running water.”

Mgangala said they had resorted to hiring young people to get water for them from taps at the councillor’s home village in Mpundu for R40 a barrel

Nounkile Dongwana, 64, said water was a daily necessity and they could not pay the R40 rate so they had accustomed themselves to the free water in the river.

“I rely on my pension grant and I cannot afford to spend R40 every day for water, especially when others have it come out of taps for free.

“I am living with my grandchildren who cannot get water for us, so we have to do it ourselves.”

Marata said next week the newly developed village of Msobomvu, which was close to Gwiqi, would be getting water.

“The municipality has recruited a construction company to develop infrastructure and place bigger and longer pipes which will link to water reservoirs.

“But water will not flow properly if people continue to tamper with it,” said Marata.