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NOT A DROP: Children at Ledile creche crowd around a dry tap. Due to the shortage, people of Losmycherry at Kgapane in Limpopo are forced to collect water from a well. PHOTO: ELIJAR MUSHIANA

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The residents of Maplankeng, Kgaphamadi and Losmycherry sections of the township have been forced to buy water from fellow residents who have boreholes in their yards.

The residents said the problem started in 2004 when taps started to run dry.

They accused the Greater Letaba municipality of failing to provide an explanation for the lack of water. They said the municipality had also failed to dispatch water tankers to supply them with water.

Of concern to them is that the municipality had continued to bill them for water monthly though they did not have a single drop.

A few residents showed Sowetan copies of their municipal accounts which indicated they owed as much as R11,000 for water consumption.

Ledile Maphalle, who owns a crèche in the township, said yesterday that she had gone for days without bathing because of lack of water.

"The only water we can afford to buy is that of feeding our families. As for the children, they have to bring containers of water from their homes for drinking during the day," said Maphalle.

Residents Helen Serumula and Mosima Lebopa have been living in the township for many years.

They both accused the municipality of not taking issues of service delivery seriously.

They said they were certain that the water problem did not affect the Parktown area of the township, where mayor Godfrey Modjadji lived.

Modjadji lives a stone's throw away from the man-made fountain in the township.

"The treatment meted out to us goes to show that the government does not take us seriously .

"Our leaders only take us into consideration when they want our votes," said Lebopa.

The executive mayor of Mopani district municipality, Joshua Matlou, seemed surprised when told of the hardships the residents were facing.

He said though his municipality was a water authority, the Kgapane challenges lay in the hands of the local municipality.

Spokeswoman for the Greater Letaba municipality, Lovers Maenetja, acknowledged there were problems of water shortages at Kgapane.

Maenetja said the problem was caused by the damaged reservoir and that, until it was fixed, the problem would persist.

"But it is not true that we are not providing water to those residents.

"We will check the schedule on which the tankers are supposed to supply water to them," Maenetja said. - frankm@sowetan.co.za

Comments

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Sat May 18 20:14:55 SAST 2013 ::

Jun 8, 2012

Traveljunie

yes, thank the AnC [Apartheids New Custodians ] and the useless lot in Limpopo. But the incompetent pigs in the ANC will rather protest about JZ tottie that this injustice!

sies!


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Jun 8, 2012

Secretary

Residents with no water for 8 years
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And Zuma wants the second term.How dare is this auto- shower head.
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Jun 8, 2012

cornelius

Where are the idiots who shout " racism" every time an issue of poor service delivery in the WC arises ?
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Jun 8, 2012

Tatemantation

to think that the mathale guy is swimming millions of rands of these poor tax payers money but not doing anything for them, its disgusting. our government is rotten from the top (President) to the ward councillors. Shame on them,sies man.
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Jun 8, 2012

Traveljunie

why not send Blade and that other tjommie who wanted to ban sales of city press to this village and let them go explain how their commie rethoric is of better use to this vilage than water. Make the Limpopo greedy boys club in goverment go and dig trenches for water pipes, then they will listen, bunch of imbiciles.

they could at least have drilled them boreholes. Water affairs have done for other villages in Limpopo.

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Jun 8, 2012

lebloza

Viva comrade Mathale viva, with the good work you are doing together with your Mayor's and concillors.

We have to start protesting for Mathale not ka Zuma. Zuma will come later.
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Jun 8, 2012

rasefatee

i am told mathale is from Kgapane township near Modjadjiskloof is that true?
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Jun 8, 2012

Doculam

No ways!! Its not the Western Cape, now i cant blame the DA....lol
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Jun 8, 2012

CheeseBoy

I have always mainatained recently that poor people who vote with their emotions are going to be the death of this country. I do not feel sorry for them since time and again they vote the same group of corrupt politicians into power and complain when promises are broken.

What makes me even more angry is the fact that innocent children have to suffer because of their stupid parents. I'm sure if these kids could vote things would have been different a long time ago. Stupid parents are making their children suffer. Zuma and The thieves in ANC dont give a fcuk about you when are you going to wake up.
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Jun 8, 2012

maftowncity

Aowa,bathong,this is unacceptible....8yrs..no ways.this happens under the nose of ANC,on the daylight, and they claim they are not aware of the plight of the very same people who voted them in power..BS...nxa
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