Hope for clean running tap water in Tubatse

By:Thomo Nkgadima

In 2000 former president Thabo Mbeki declared sekhukhune district municipality as a poverty stricken nodal of development. He said:”The government would allocate resources to improve lives of residents”.

Now residents continue living below poverty line. No visible improvements has been made while residents continue sitting on top of precious stones sold abroad at exorbitant prices, leaving the community in dire poverty.

Recently president Cyril Ramaphosa annouced R25 billion Tubatse Hydro Power Dam near De hoop Dam.

Shortage of water is a thorny issue in Tubatse

It’s been many years residents relying on water tankers. Some residents end up buying water.

However, R3,4 billion De Hoop Dam was completed some years ago to supply water to Sekhukhune district villagers, Limpopo residents and neigbouring villages and provinces where service delivery was of a poor standard.

Residents of about 39 wards in Fetakgomo Tubatse municipality with 189 villages near where one of the biggest Dam is situated near Steelpoort outside Burgersfort will soon have clean running tap water.

In 2014 former president Jacob Zuma officialy opened 347 million cubic metre De Hoop Dam to fast track infrastructure projects in the country.

Many residents from 189 villages will no longer walk through thick and thorny bushes to reach wells in order to access fresh clean water.

Some residents rely on borehole water which is expensive to afford and insufficient to meet the demand.

During rainy seasons Limpopo continued to get good rain R3.4 billion 347 cubic metre De Hoop Dam it is spilling and overflowing at upbove 100% but not a posing a danger to communities near the vicinity of the dam.

Water is a basic human right and to deprive residents water is a violation of their constitutional right!

Hundreds families in rural Limpopo village are set to get clean running tap water supply from bulk water supply project.

The project was completed last year August in Seokodibeng village in Fetakgomo Tubatse municipality outside Burgersfort.

Sekhukhune district executive mayor, Minah Bahula togetger with Fetakgomo Tubatse municipality mayor, Eddie Maila they visited the completed construction site.during oversight visit.

Maila said” We are maintaining the purification plant in the village to ensure that water is clean and safe for human consumption”.

Maila promised “We will build steel water tank to enhance water shortage capacity and replace dilapidated water reservoir”.

Exited residents expressed their happiness. Lucky Lesele community liaison commitee of the project said “This is a good thing, a step towards ending long-standing water shortage that existed for many years”.

Both mayor also visited Ga-Riba, Ga-Maisela, Maakubu, Ga-kgoete, Ga-Masete and Malokela to introduce contractors appointed to drill boreholes as an emergency temporary water relief.

Maila said ” We have decided to put effort in place trying to address urgent need for water provision in deep rural and remote villages”.

He said”This is a temporary relief while we seek sustainable and ever lasting water solution”.

“We thank all stakeholders and traditional authorities for their patient and cooperation.We will ensure residents get access to clean water”.

An opposition party councillor in Fetakgomo Tubatse municipality and Ga-Riba resident Tumelo Molapo said “This is a big relief, many residents will get jobs opportunities in tne project and help to provide for their families”.

Molapo said”we are happy that after many years without clean running tap water in the village, many residents will finaly get water”.