Difagate is a small village in Bugersfort, under Fetakgomo Municipality (in Limpopo province). It is situated behind Modikwa Platinum Mine in Driekop. The village gets its water from the nearby mountain streams and dams. Each household contributed money to buy pipes to supply themselves with water. Since the national lockdown was announced and that people have to wash their hands regularly, the local government started a project to supply and erect emergency water tanks in villages.
On 15 April 2020, the emergency water supply workers erected a stand with steel poles and Jojo tanks. They promised to fill the tanks with water for the village, essential during the COVID-19 situation. They promised three tanks to cover the three sections of the entire village and the water tanker truck came and filled these tanks with water.
The COVID-19 water emergency has supplied areas that struggle with water. The people are now happy and relieved that they will get water regularly. The taps are not as strong as the communal taps, they are temporary taps which are easy to use and safe for kids not to play around with.
Since the emergency water supply project started, water is supplied twice a month in the village. There is another truck which supplies water once a month to the village but people have to put their water tanks at the gates as it doesn’t go inside the yards. People then have to transport the water back into their yards using buckets. More water projects are planned for the community, including a borehole, but this is more long term.
The villagers are happy about the recent developments which are happening in the village; and as one said, “If it wasn’t for the Coronavirus problem, we wouldn’t have been lucky with the things that are happening today. Now they have prioritised water which we have struggled with. It’s very nice but we expect more.”
This article was submitted on 29 June 2020. You may republish this article, so long as you credit the authors and Karibu! Online (www.Karibu.org.za), and do not change the text. Please include a link back to the original article.
