RESIDENTS of Mountain View in Brandfort are forced to travel to the nearby Majemasweu township or cross a busy road to access water.
Those who spoke to Sowetan said the problem was more than two years old.
Pushing wheelbarrows or carrying buckets and containers on their heads, residents complained that the Masilonyana local municipality was doing nothing to address the problem.
Resident Maria Mafike, who lives with her husband and child, said the problem was not new.
"Today we can't flush toilets in our homes because there is no water. Our health is also at risk," Mafike said.
She said the municipality had given them various explanations for the water shortages. At one stage it even accused residents of stealing the water pipes.
Mafike said at times they had to go to either the stadium or municipal offices in town to fetch water.
Another resident, Motlalepule Selebano, said it had become her "duty" to collect water every day with a wheelbarrow.
"We are struggling and this has been going on for over two years now," Selebano said. 'We travel to Majemasweu, pushing wheelbarrows with containers and looking for water."
Residents complained that the municipality had failed to keep its promise of filling two water tanks and providing them with a mobile water tanker. The tanks were empty when Sowetan visited the area.
Municipal spokesman Zongezile Ntjawabula said the area faced a long-term challenge of an ageing water infrastructure.
"The main water pipeline that supplies bulk water to Brandfort is a dilapidated old asbestos pipe and from time to time it bursts," Ntjawabula said.
He claimed there were two 5000-litre water tanks in Mountain View and that they were filled on a daily basis. There was also a mobile water tanker doing daily rounds supplying residents with water.
Ntjawabula said the Department of Water Affairs had allocated R6-million to address the water problems in Brandfort and Winburg. Currently a R1.4-million project to replace valves in the main line was under way.
"The municipality has received a commitment from the department that, in the next financial year it will assist with the replacement of a 40km raw water main line to the tune of R17-million and the entire project will cost more than R65-million," he said. - ntwagaes@sowetan.co.za
Water worries put a daily strain on Brandfort residents
RESIDENTS of Mountain View in Brandfort are forced to travel to the nearby Majemasweu township or cross a busy road to access water.
Those who spoke to Sowetan said the problem was more than two years old.
Pushing wheelbarrows or carrying buckets and containers on their heads, residents complained that the Masilonyana local municipality was doing nothing to address the problem.
Resident Maria Mafike, who lives with her husband and child, said the problem was not new.
"Today we can't flush toilets in our homes because there is no water. Our health is also at risk," Mafike said.
She said the municipality had given them various explanations for the water shortages. At one stage it even accused residents of stealing the water pipes.
Mafike said at times they had to go to either the stadium or municipal offices in town to fetch water.
Another resident, Motlalepule Selebano, said it had become her "duty" to collect water every day with a wheelbarrow.
"We are struggling and this has been going on for over two years now," Selebano said. 'We travel to Majemasweu, pushing wheelbarrows with containers and looking for water."
Residents complained that the municipality had failed to keep its promise of filling two water tanks and providing them with a mobile water tanker. The tanks were empty when Sowetan visited the area.
Municipal spokesman Zongezile Ntjawabula said the area faced a long-term challenge of an ageing water infrastructure.
"The main water pipeline that supplies bulk water to Brandfort is a dilapidated old asbestos pipe and from time to time it bursts," Ntjawabula said.
He claimed there were two 5000-litre water tanks in Mountain View and that they were filled on a daily basis. There was also a mobile water tanker doing daily rounds supplying residents with water.
Ntjawabula said the Department of Water Affairs had allocated R6-million to address the water problems in Brandfort and Winburg. Currently a R1.4-million project to replace valves in the main line was under way.
"The municipality has received a commitment from the department that, in the next financial year it will assist with the replacement of a 40km raw water main line to the tune of R17-million and the entire project will cost more than R65-million," he said. - ntwagaes@sowetan.co.za
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