Tshabalala community boreholes seized by individuals, demand payment for water

BULAWAYO: Residents in Tshabalala Extension high-density suburb are outraged against bullying by individuals who have taken control of local boreholes and demanding cash from them to access water.

The individuals are camping daily at the borehole and are demanding US$1 for one to fill in six buckets of water.

The situation is the same with some local churches who are also demanding money for one to get water.

Only Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) was singled out as the only church where residents are allowed to get water for free, expect on Saturday.

Residents who spoke to the media donors drilled the boreholes for benefit of everyone.

“We are appealing to local authorities and law enforcement agents to come and chase these bullies away from the donor’s boreholes,” said Mercy Ncube.

“Imagine how much money there are making per day?”

Another resident Nomalanga Sibanda said they were left with no choice but to pay the money in order to access water.

“At first when they started asking for money, we turned to churches but now there, the clergy are also asking for money,” she said.

“We are in dire need of a long-lasting solution to this water crisis and imagine the time that we are now spending fetching water.”

She added; “During the Covid-19 pandemic we must be getting uninterrupted supply of clean water.”

Bulawayo is currently facing crippling water shortages as its dam levels have gone down.

Residents now go for days without receiving tape water.