Life is extremely difficult without water: Bushbuckridge resident

Residents of several villages within the Bushbuckridge Local Municipality in Mpumalanga are grappling with severe water shortages. The crisis has left some communities without water for over a month, while others have gone without water for more than a week. Forced to rely on polluted streams and rivers, some residents are even resorting to purchasing water to meet their basic needs.

Thembani Mukasi, a local resident, expressed the dire situation, saying, "Life is extremely difficult without water. We have toilets inside our houses, but they stink because there's no water. We're left with no choice but to buy water – R150 just to bathe, wash, cook, and drink for my family. I can't afford that. Life is tough here."

The Bushbuckridge Local Municipality has blamed the water crisis on vandalism at the Inyaka Dam Pump Station. Executive Mayor Lydia Moroane-Zitha stated that her municipality is working tirelessly to restore water supply to affected communities. Security personnel and infrastructure at the pump station were damaged by thugs, who cut cables and set fire to parts of the pumping system.

The municipality has taken steps to address the situation, including filing a case against the perpetrators and repairing the damages. However, the extent of the destruction is far greater and more costly than previous incidents of vandalism. The municipality aims to have the water supply restored by the 28th of August.