RESIDENTS of Sephokubye village in the Mopani district of Limpopo are forced to share drinking water with animals.

While they risk their lives walking through thick, potentially dangerous bushes to fetch water, they also risk their health because the water is not suitable for household use.

The area falls under the Greater Letaba municipality and the council is aware of the challenges faced by the community, who have been subjected to a life without water, a basic necessity, for the past seven years.

Of grave concern to them is that the municipality had dug holes with the intention of installing water pipes in the village.

But seven years down the line nothing has been done. The holes, in which children play, pose a serious danger to them during rainy days because there is a possibility of their drowning when the holes are filled with water.

Community leader Manjaro Senyolo said a project was initiated in 2005 when the pipes were installed in the village but were discovered to have been broken, apparently during the installation process.

Last year, after further complaints from the community, the broken pipes were removed and new ones installed, but the community is still without clean drinking water.

Emily Moila, a concerned resident, said they also feared being raped while walking through the bush to fetch water.

Approached for comment yesterday, Mopani district municipal manager Timothy Maake said his office had not been informed about the problem but promised to investigate the matter and attend to it.

"I will check with our officials operating in that area to find out what the problem could be and attend to it," Maake said.