The Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality in the North West seems to be struggling to provide residents with sufficient water.  This as many communities experience prolonged water shortages.

Residents of the Itekeng township near Biesiesvlei outside Lichtenburg in the troubled Ditsobotla Local Municipality are criticising the authorities over water shortages.

They say they are forced to travel long distances to fetch water.

“In Biesiesvlei, we are facing a serious water crisis. We have to line up early in the morning for water but often leave empty-handed. We go from one tap to another without finding any water. if we can’t get water, we’re forced to buy it from the shops,” says one resident.

Another resident says, “We need to bath, we need to do something that can make us to survive so when we actually don’t have water, we won’t survive. Because it’s the one that makes us clean as always, we wash, as always, we cook as always, we do anything about water. ”

Meanwhile, Executive Mayor Khumalo Molefe has blamed cable theft for the current water shortages.

“We are supplying Biesiesvlei with about eight boreholes. All eight have been operational until we were struck by an unfortunately regular event of cable theft in Biesiesvlei. Now this cable theft affected about six boreholes. The cable was stolen, and six boreholes out of eight were affected.”

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