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Ntondozi- The scarcity of water has seen over 300 homesteads sharing water with animals from just a small pond.

At times, community members travel long distances to this pond only to find it dry. Some villagers are forced to return home with their buckets empty, or with only a few milliliters of water.

Community bucopho, Manfikile Ndzimandze, said the malfunctioning of government water drilling rigs was a serious cause for concern. “Just last year about six sites were identified as potential water sources in one area, but to this day people, still struggle to get clean water,” he said.

Gcinile Mamba a heavily pregnant woman wakes up at 4am to get water from a pond dug by the community. The water is hardly ever clean, more so because donkeys, cattle, dogs and other animals drink from the same pond. “The water is never clean and I have always suffered stomach aches,” she said.

The pond is situated down a bushy steep slope and the safety of community members is not at all guaranteed. The community messanger, Mandla Madonsela described the situation faced by the villagers as total disaster. “Water is a basic need which should be available to everyone and for children and women to struggle this much for it, it’s not okay and immediate action must be done,” he said.