South Africa: 'Children Can't Always Bathe' - Water Shortages Leave Musina Families Struggling With Basic Hygiene

In Musina, Limpopo, children often go to school without bathing. Their grandmother, Geraldine Norton, explains that they wipe themselves with a cloth and wait for water to return. The family struggles with basic hygiene due to an unreliable water supply. Norton, who has been registered for indigent support since over two decades ago, says she rarely receives water despite paying for it.

The municipal supply is often unavailable, forcing the family to buy water, which confuses her about how their water usage is calculated. Municipal officials rarely visit to read their water meters, with the last reading being last year. The family's water and electricity accounts are linked, meaning they face difficulties buying prepaid electricity if they owe money on their water bill.

Norton says the free basic services promised to indigent households on paper are not enough when there is no reliable water supply. Despite qualifying for free services, the family often has to buy water, which raises questions about how their water consumption is assessed. Health-e News previously reported that prolonged water shortages in Musina affect elderly residents, forcing some to use social grants to buy water and struggle with basic hygiene.

Public health researchers emphasize that reliable access to water is crucial for maintaining basic hygiene and sanitation.