Hospitalized after drinking water containing human waste

Residents of Lufule 1 have resorted to drinking polluted water to quench their thirst, with the subsequent result that many of them have fallen ill and ended up in local clinics and hospitals.

Community members described last week how the tap water that they had been using was visibly mixed with sewage. It carried a foul odour and was clearly unfit for human consumption. The water is used for cooking and drinking, while the contaminated tap water is used for washing clothes and cleaning homes.

The problems apparently started in June, when residents noticed that the water tasted strange. Local authorities warned residents that the water was not fit for human consumption.

 Mr Avhapfani Maduka allegedly contracted bilharzia after drinking water from a tap. “I started urinating blood and had a sore stomach. I was rushed to Thohoyandou block G clinic. I couldn’t stop drinking the water as I don’t have any choice,” he said. Maduka said that the municipality had brought them water only when there were funerals. He accused the Thulamela and Vhembe District Municipalities of neglecting the sewerage works. 

“They take advantage of us, thinking we are uneducated. We voted for them, but now they don’t care about us. We don’t know what to do any more. We cannot continue to drink dirty water. We are tired of going in and out of hospital,” he said.

Maduka said the people were forced to drink tap water and then they became ill. “The situation is very bad and sometimes no water even comes out of the taps, like today.”

One of the residents, Mr Steven Mulovhedzi‚ added: “These people (the municipality) must start taking us serious. We don’t want any violence‚ we just want healthy water. People have already been admitted to hospital for cholera. The issue has never been addressed. We need a real solution,” he said.

The spokesperson of the Vhembe Municipality, Matodzi Ralushai, denied the claim that the residents had spent many days going without water. He said the municipality made use of water tankers to deliver water to the area. In a bid to address the problem‚ the municipality cut the water supply to Lufule and surrounding communities.

Ralushai said the “severe” contamination was caused by pipes that had burst. He said the municipality regularly met with community members, different structures and royal councillors to address the issues. Ongoing meetings were underway to find a solution and the Vhembe District Municipality was looking into the matter, he said.

News - Date: 21 July 2017

Kaizer Nengovhela

Kaizer Nengovhela started writing stories for Limpopo Mirror in 2000. Prior to that he had a five year stint at Phala-Phala FM as sports presenter. In 2005 Kaizer received an award from the province's premier as Best Sports Presenter. The same year he was also nominated as Best Sports Reporter by the Makhado Municipality. Kaizer was awarded the Mathatha Tsedu award in 2014.

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