Luntu gets running water to his village

A 72-year-old Eastern Cape man has single-handedly built a pipeline to provide water to his village after government failed to do so.

Luntu Fente of KwaSophie Farms outside Komani (Queenstown) took it upon himself to build the 2km-long pipeline to source water from nearby mountains so the people of his village did not have to walk long distances to fetch water from springs.

When a Saturday Dispatch team arrived at the farm, Nosakhiwo Mbesi and her daughter were rushing to fetch water before others could arrive. “As much as we appreciate what Fente has done for us, is not reliable, one has to be here early,” Mbesi said.

Fente said groundwater was available but government was failing them by not providing bulk water infrastructure.

“There’s plenty of water here, if I can find it with my bare hands, what about government who will be using big machines?”

Chris Hani District spokeswoman Thobeka Mqamelo said the water service in their municipality was under stress. — bonganif@dispatch.co.za