Riot Hlatshwayo

Riot Hlatshwayo

Most villages in the rural Bushbuckridge area in Mpumalanga are still facing a serious problem over the lack of a clean water supply.

This means most villagers rely on water from dirty rivers for their daily use including cooking, bathing, cleaning and washing. But this poses the risk of contracting water-borne diseases, including cholera.

Meanwhile, a reservoir that is expected to supply clean water to villages such as Belfast, Somerset and Cork has been left unattended for months now.

It appears that it will not be used in the near future because it is covered by bushes.

Yesterday, villagers from Belfast village that were carrying water, claimed they had collected the water from the local river.

Lindokuhle Sibuyi, 16, and her young brother Ndzalama Sibuyi, 9, were seen passing near the unattended reservoir yesterday.

"My main worry is that when I return from school I have to rush to the river to fetch dirty water for consumption by my whole family," said Lindokuhle.

Petrus Nyathi, one of the residents of Belfast village, said the reservoir had received no attentionfor months now.

He said those who did not want to rely on water from the river were forced to buy it from bakkies that brought the commodity from the townships.

"While the municipality caters for the townships, we are left in the cold without any alternative but to suffer."

Bushbuckridge municipality spokesman Zondi Mkhabela said yesterday the municipality needed to investigate the severity of the matter before clearing up the health issue.