While the Vhembe District Municipality recently conducted a water summit aimed at solving the water crisis in the area, for the residents of Ha-Magidi of Thohoyandou Unit E life is a nightmare.

The chairperson of the Thohoyandou Unit E Civic Association, Mr Booi Phalanndwa, said his communities had been without water for almost three months and they did not see any reason for paying for services of things that were not effectively rendered to them.

On Sunday, the community in Thohoyandou Unit E gathered at Magidi Primary School to discuss the water shortage. They also invited Cllr Thomas Nethonzhe of Ward 23 to attend the meeting.

During the event, members of the different communities stated that if the water crisis was not solved with immediate effect, they would take a radical approach to the matter. They also threatened that they would "march and block all roads leading to Unit E and surrounding areas".

Phalanndwa said that they were told that when the nearby Nandoni Dam was built, it would help to solve water shortages, "but our taps always run dry". A resident, Mr Nkhanedzeni Dzaga, said the communities were also worried as they were receiving statements for water, claiming they owed the municipality lots of money. "We now ask ourselves how are they supposed to pay for services that are not rendered to them?"

Cllr Nethonzhe expressed his dissatisfaction with the current water situation and promised to assign the water committee to attend to the problem.

The spokesperson for the Vhembe District Municipality, Mr Matodzi Ralushai, said they were aware of the water shortages in Thohoyandou Unit E and surroundings and he promised to send the water technical team to establish the reason for the breakdown in supply.