Water confusion in the village

13 September 2021
GaMogashoa village, Sekhukhune
Makhuduthamaga Local Municipality
By Mmabore Mogashoa

Water problem

The construction of two water dams at Mogashoa Ditlhakaneng and Mogashoa Manamane have started and other households have water taps installed in their yards. Some of the villagers still collect water far from home and some buy from those who sell. When the project started people were happy because water has been a huge problem for years. Some people cannot even afford to buy R150 water that is sold in the village and the only option for them is to push wheelbarrows or fetch water by carrying 20/25 litres containers on their heads. When there is water, the villagers use different containers to store enough water.

2020 and 2021 had been the hardest years because people had to que for water during the pandemic. Now their hopes are fading. The taps have blue box meters which shows that they have to pay for the water. For those who cannot afford to pay for water, the taps will be like flowers in their yards.

GaMogashoa is a rural area, construction of the dams created temporary jobs for some of the villages but poverty is still a problem. Water is used everyday. No one called a meeting to let the villagers know that the water will be sold and by seeing the boxes next to the taps people started talking and one can see that they are not happy. For those who cannot afford to pay for the water once the project is done they will have no option but to walk distances to get water or wash clothes in Semene River.