• Tweet

NO CHOICE: Happiness Shabangu, 32, of Cunningmoore A in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga, says residents endanger their lives by drawing water at a dirty, snake-infested dam in the area. Photo: Sibongile Mashaba

RELATED ARTICLES

• Let's prioritise water - Mabuza

Hundreds of residents in Bushbuckridge said sometimes they went for up to four weeks without clean water.

Last week, residents said the last time they had clean water from the municipality was three weeks ago.

There are water tanks in the area, but these are not filled every day. Happiness Shabangu, 32, from Cunningmoore, said she was aware of the dangers of drawing water from the dam, but she did not have a choice.

"We have not had water for weeks. This is the third day I come here (to the dam) to draw water. The water is dirty, but we do not have another option.

"I use the water for washing and bathing. The laundry does not get clean at all. We risk our health by using the water to bathe."

Leina Makofane, 40, said she had walked about 30km to get water from a borehole in Oakley.

"We are suffering. Who can live without water? Sometimes I am forced to go back home with empty buckets and there are no guarantees that I will get some water the next day.

"I will continue voting because if I do not vote, I will loose my social grant money. I hope our situation will change soon," said Makofane. Another resident, Bongani Hlatshwayo, said the water coming from the taps was salty and they could not cook with it. "My children get a rash because we use it to bathe," Hlatshwayo said.

Last week, MEC for cooperative governance and traditional affairs Madala Masuku said the Bushbuckridge local municipality owed R260-million to the water board.

- This article was first published in the printed newspaper on 8 October 2012

Comments

• Sign in or sign up to comment

Sat May 25 06:15:23 SAST 2013 ::

Oct 9, 2012

Shredder

"I will continue voting because if I do not vote, I will loose my social grant money."

Keep on voting, but not for ANC next time.
Report Abuse

Oct 9, 2012

RobinH

"I will continue voting because if I do not vote, I will loose my social grant money." ..... Who fills our rural people with thisw absolute rubbish. Voting has absolutely nothing to do with grants. It is clear that she means that she will continue to support the ANC, else she believes her grant will be in jeopardy. The whole "patronage approach" here is so evident it is sickening. Here it is extended to an area in which patronage can't even apply, but people are conned into thinking that it does.
Report Abuse

Oct 9, 2012

Papage

How long is this going end, and you spent over R203m on Zuma yet so many people are suffering.
Report Abuse

Oct 9, 2012

Polotona

Zuma aka 2heads ene his busy wth nkandla (zumaville) while ppl are strugling in the other provinces....Zuma is a fool.
Report Abuse

Oct 9, 2012

MorenaWaPolelo

Leina Makofane, 40, said she had walked about 30km to get water from a borehole in Oakley
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Leina are you being honest about the distance of 30 km???? Anyway at the rate things are going you need to brace your self for a futher punishment dear I see no repreave from your situation. Your grant keeper is intending to build a 203 bars play boy mansion in Nkandla while your council owes 250 bars. Your statement that you will keep voting for your grant is shocking dear surely you do not know why you vote and for me that is scary!!!
Report Abuse

Oct 9, 2012

RobinH

Morena: Let's not split hairs here. It is quite enough that she walks a considerable distance while her premier just strolls over to the tap. The shocking thing to me is that people actually believe that voting (for particualr people?) is connected to getting a grant.
Report Abuse

Oct 9, 2012

PASTA

Where's the government in all this? Hai mara
Report Abuse

Oct 9, 2012

Shredder

Looking at the picture something just came into my mind.

Women vs Men

Carry buckets or drum of water on their heads - Men push buckets or drums of water in a wheelbarrow
Women carry logs of wood on their heads - Men use wagons to carry logs of wood.
Women till the ground using some hand handled-tools - Men use Ground tilling machines to do the same job.

Women are weaker vessels but they do these equal jobs the hardest way :(
Report Abuse

Oct 9, 2012

RobinH

Shredder. An interesting observation.
Report Abuse

Oct 9, 2012

19Doubleiets

Ag come-on not with water, maybe with electricity. You see... education is VERY vital, now he doesnt even understand that water is one of the most important basic need to human consumption...EISH!
Report Abuse

Read all 39 comments