SINTHUMULE - It is almost a month and a half that some villages in the Sinthumule area under the jurisdiction of Makhado Municipality have been living without water.

The problem of the shortage of water drew much criticism from the community. One of the community members, Mr Crossly Tshinesa, indicated that, although the supply of water in the area has grown into a general problem for the villages, the areas which are the hardest hit include Magau, Madombidzha, Rathidili, Tshiozwi and Gogobole.

The residents of these areas have to push wheelbarrows for several kilometers to fetch water from the people who have boreholes. The villagers said that they spent more than one hundred rands to buy water. They were charged R1 per 25-litre container.

Teachers and pupils at the village's schools complain that at times they have to stay unwashed for the whole day. They also have to carry water containers to school each day. The villagers pointed out that they are living with the constant fear of contracting diseases after using water from streams.

After learning from the authorities that the disruption was due to a broken water pump, they said it was very unfair that it should take more than a month to repair it.

The Director of Technical Services of the Makhado Municipality, Mr Masindi Mapholi, acknowledged the problem and said that there was a broken down water pump which had been sent for repairs. The technicians are busy fixing the pump, he said.