Residents of Tshimbupfe central under the Makhado Municipality are faced with serious water shortage.

According to the chairperson of the Civic Association of Schielfarm at Ha-Mutheiwana, Mr Thomas Mulaudzi, the borehole situated at the village is unable to pump more water into the reservoir, because it is not electrified.

He further blamed the Department of Water Affairs for neglecting to supply water constantly to Tshimbupfe central as they are doing to the surrounding settlements of Tshimbupfe, such as Vuwani, Tshivhulana, Davhana, Vyeboom and Tshino.

"Every time when we approach the department, we are told about the problems of the air valves in the pipeline supplying water to our village, but we don’t know why the air valves are not replaced or fixed," he said. Mulaudzi said that most residents are relying on hiring vehicles to fetch water from the Vuwani, Tshvhulana and Tshino settlements, while those without money are collecting water with wheelbarrows from the neighbouring Tshivhulana village.

He added that their village has been turned into service-delivery spectators. "We don’t have water and electricity. Our roads and streets are in a bad condition. We are always reading in newspapers that the Makhado Municipality has electrified or drilled a borehole in other villages. We have been forgotten," he said.

On Tuesday, a meeting about the water shortage in Tshimbupfe central was held in Vuwani. The gathering was attended by Ward 1 councilor Cllr Khamusi Mauba, Mr N Demana from the department, and ward committee members from various villages in Ward 1.

Mr N Demana, an official from the Department of Water Affairs in Vuwani said that water shortages in Tshimbupfe were caused by the air valve that was leaking in Duthuni. He further promised that water would be supplied constantly to Tshimbupfe central like in other villages.

Ward committee member and assistant civic chairperson of Mavhulani Mr Nthengiseni Joseph Sipholi said that one of the agreements reached at the meeting was to supply water to various villages of Tshimbupfe central on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.