10 Years, R16 Million, No Water: Rebone Community Demands Accountability
Tebogo Madibana
For nearly a decade, residents of Rebone in the Mogalakwena Local Municipality, Limpopo, have struggled without reliable access to water. The issue is not a lack of funding on paper but a failure in delivery.
In 2015, projects for water source development and reticulation were initiated in Rebone, with R16 million allocated to provide water to households that have relied on boreholes, rivers, and municipal water trucks for years.
Now, ten years later, most homes still have dry taps. The infrastructure that was started remains unfinished, and in some areas, it is abandoned. Photos obtained by the community reveal incomplete pipes, stalled pump stations, and sites where work was halted years ago without explanation.
“Children miss school because they spend early mornings walking long distances to fetch water. Elderly residents struggle to carry heavy containers in extreme heat. Without water, sanitation collapses, and the risk of waterborne diseases rises for everyone,” says Madibana Tebogo, a community spokesperson.
This is not merely an inconvenience; it is a daily crisis affecting health and education. Public funds have been spent, a contract awarded, and a service provider appointed. Yet, there has been no public update, no timeline, and no functioning water system to show for it.
The Mogalakwena Local Municipality has previously disputed claims of a broader water crisis in the area, stating that all villages either have access to water or receive it via tanker. A R16 million budget allocation for the Mogalakwena water projects was mentioned in a 2018/2019 complaint to the SA Human Rights Commission. Stalled bulk water projects and planning failures have also been reported in other parts of Limpopo.
Rebone residents are calling on the service provider and the Mogalakwena Local Municipality to immediately publish monthly progress reports on the Rebone water project. These reports must include:
- Budget spent to date
- Work completed versus outstanding
- Clear timelines for providing water access to every household
“Public reporting is the minimum standard when public funds are involved. Rebone residents have waited 10 years. They should not have to wait another 10 days for answers,” said Tebogo.
