Makhuduthamaga local municipality let Jane Furse residents experience dire shortage of water for over three months

Jane Furse – Makhuduthamaga Local Municipality fails to resolve water crisis befallen Jane Furse for over three months.

Early hours of yesterday, Friday – the 4th day of December 2020, one of the STUF News Investigative Team visited Jane Furse regarding water issues experienced by community members thereof.

One of the residents who were at the dirty river the early hours of this morning told STUF News reporter that he last drunk water in September, since then they have been having water crisis and the mayor is not helping to normalise the situation.

“As you can see, we, as the community, resorted to buying water where we pay R2 to get a bucket (20 litre). Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) based in Jane Furse intervened where a meeting was held and Cllr Bahula was there, that’s when she told people that for community members to get water, a dog must give birth to or bear a dog (mpsa e swanetse go tswala mpsa in Sepedi). After saying that, fighters said she has to leave as she’s not helping,” said the source.

From the mayor’s failure to attend the 26th of November in Jane Furse, it is obvious that the residents are not prioritised, what happened to the budget released for the purpose of helping the community? One can badger themselves to finding answers to such questions. Is it corruption at its best or that’s how they are directed by laws governing SA local municipalities?

Jane Furse resident buying water. Image: STUF News

The man pictured showed his concerns about the community’s health as he’s afraid of catching covid-19 whilst pushing his wheelbarrow carrying three 20 litre bottles costing R2 each.

It is clear that this is a fight against the South African political parties where community members are punished just for the other party to show the other one that it is in power. The source said the mayor also said they will get water in 2020, they must forget having the issue solved before the end of this year.

The source went ahead to say the Premier of Limpopo Cassel Mathale was once invited by the local Chiefs around Jane Furse, the source said the premier was told what he didn’t anticipate from them. Following the engagement with the Chiefs, he told them he’ll discuss the matter with his colleagues and will revert to them within seven days to discuss way forward, until today he didn’t get back to them.

The issue isn’t affecting Jane Furse only according to another source, Riverside’s also affected by this shortage of water.

Jane Furse resident using impurified water to do laundry. Image: STUF News

According to one of the two young ladies (aged 16) found at the place where water’s fetched, they only buy water they drink for R5 a bucket. The lady explained how the situation is badly affecting them as some of her young siblings has to go to the river to fetch water as well.

We are aware that millions of households are trickling within abjection, literally they are fed by the Social Grant (SASSA) brought forth by the government as the mere way of fighting poverty. The same households take whatever little they receive from government to buy water instead of purchasing other necessary stuff.

SA’s still in lockdown, but this community members converge at the river to do laundry. Clearly, Bahula is not concerned about their health as she did nothing for them to exhibit her concern.

Jane Furse resident where water’s fetched, doing laundry. Image: STUF News

When the second lady was asked to what she did to flee the situation, she said, “there’s nothing we can do about it. My mother’s buying water to fill her JoJo tank, I do not know the price yet,” as she continued washing her clothes with the dirty water.

Another source said there’s a place called Dropping Centre on the left-hand side from Plaza before turning left from the main road to Jane Furse Police Station. The place is said to be where water supplying the community would originate, the source said there are about ten boreholes, the company appointed the contract said they found dirty water and they cannot continue with the project. Until today, the project isn’t complete.

This is taking taking the community to days where people used to fetch water from the stream, though this situation is unreservedly different. It is time for final examinations in the midst of coronavirus, for learners to bath and wear clean uniform – they have to make going to the stream their daily routine.

STUF News Team tried to get hold of the Makhuduthamaga Municipality spokesperson without luck, the matter is escalated to the Sekhukhune District Municipality, asking for a swift solution as lives are involved.