The state is pumping R87.3m into drought relief measures for the north Eastern Cape.
The money will be spent on boreholes, pumps, water cartage and tanks, said Chris Hani district municipality (CHDM) spokesperson Thobeka Mqamelo.
CHDM services six local municipalities. The R87.3m was paid out by the department of water and sanitation (DWS).
The district is battling one of its worst droughts ever, which has been ravaging the area since 2016.
Facing devastation and water outages, the municipality applied for the funding in 2018.
Mqamelo said a number of boreholes had dried up and dam levels were low due to high demand and drought.
“An implementation plan on how the funds will be utilised was drafted and approved by both DWS and CHDM council and work is now under way. The plan focuses on the worst-affected areas,” she said.
Mqamelo said boreholes would be sunk in more than 29 villages and four towns.
Pumping lines would be constructed to augment existing water sources.
“These include the areas of Lesseyton, Machibini, Who Can Tell, Xolobe, Mabhentseni and Ntsimba, and the towns of Tarkastad, Dordrecht, Sterkstroom and Molteno,” said Mqamelo.
She added that the plan includes replacing old pipelines, fixing leaks, putting in plastic tanks and getting in more water tanks for areas with no water.
“Work began in December 2018 after funds were made available and a number of projects will be completed in the first half of 2019.
“It is envisaged that by end of 2019 all drought relief projects will be completed, providing badly needed relief to communities across the district,” Mqamelo said.
Whittlesea is hard hit. Zweledinga, Yonda, Oxton and Mbekweni villages have run out of water and residents have resorted to buying water.
This happened after municipal water which was trucked in was found to be undrinkable, said DA councillor in Whittlesea Mbongeni Mapila.
Mapila said the CHDM truck came three times in December but the water was brown.
“We did not drink the water. People resolved to buy 120 litres of clean water for R350 from a bakkie, which has made business out of their desperation,” he said.
Mapila said the water from the local river was dirty and when people saw the municipal tanker truck they thought it was bringing clean water only to discover it was dirty too.
“In Oxton the water problem started in 2013 and people got sick. They resolved to buy water from the bakkie,” he said.
Enoch Mgijima municipality DA councillor Sakhumzi Mkhunqe said Ezibeleni has been struggling with water shortages for a long time.
They hoped the emergency funding would improve their situation.
In Cradock, DA councillor in Inxuba Yethemba municipality, Bettie Lawens, said the municipality had to fix its infrastructure so that it was able to supply water to higher-lying areas.
“For health reasons it would be better to get water straight from the reservoir rather than the [plastic] tanks,” she said.
In Komani, Border Kei chamber of business administrator Adre Bartis said there were areas that did not have water on Monday.
“Komani Park, Victoria Park, Top Town and Blue Rise don’t have water,” she said.
Schools and clinics had to be prioritised, she added.
“We need boreholes between schools and clinics and also in higher areas which don’t get water. Ezibeleni is the worst -hit area in Komani, with KwaThemba and Unathi Mkefa being the worst affected areas,” Bartis said...