RESIDENTS of Morapalala village in Bolobedu, Limpopo, have accused their water committee of ripping them off financially by charging for water it does not supply.

About 500 households have allegedly not received any water this year despite paying R5 each a month since January.

The residents accuse the committee of failing to use the money they have been paying to solve the water crisis.

They say they had not had water since January after a borehole, which used to supply more than three thousand villagers for the past 14 years, broke down.

Residents say since the current water committee took over, they have struggled to get an adequate water supply.

Residents claim that they are now forced to buy water from families with boreholes at R2 for a 25litre drum.

Chairman of the local water committee Eric Baloyi said they were working hard to make sure the water crisis was resolved. He said technicians from the Department of Water Affairs were working around the clock to ensure that the pump was repaired.