Help take water to drought-stricken towns

WITH water donations pouring in, Raceview Motors cannot keep up with transporting these donations fast enough and calls for help.

Raceview Motors on the corner of Voortrekker Road and Padstow Street in Alberton is a drop-off point for water to assist the drought-stricken areas in South Africa. The company has received thousands of litres of water from well-meaning residents, however, they cannot transport the donations fast enough. Raceview is accepting water donations from residents from 07:00 to 19:00.

They are asking for assistance from residents or companies with large moving vehicles to transport the water to the areas in need. Raceview Motor’s Elmari Potgieter stated: “I would like to plead with the public and companies to get the water moved faster, if they should go to any one of the places below, come and collect water from us and take it with you. Or if companies could send big trucks out we would appreciate it.”

The following towns are some of the places being affected:

Aliwal North: Level two restrictions implemented (water available but there are restrictions on economic activities). They cannot stabilise water quality in the area.

Bray

Burgersdorp – Limpopo

Burgersdorp, Steynsburg and Venterstad: Burgersdorp is affected worst among the three towns, but level three restrictions have been implemented in all these towns and their water is turned off at night. Boreholes in the areas experience challenges to provide water.

Bushbuck Ridge

Clocolan

Delareyville

Dewetsdorp

Edenburg

Giyani

Howick

Jamestown: Level three restrictions implemented (water turned off for a period of time during the day as well as during the night).

Jacobsdal

Kathu

Kestell

Kraaipan

Kroonstad

Lady Grey: Level three restrictions. Currently experiencing a large challenge – the dam is dry. Water is being carted to the community.

Lichtenburg

Louwsburg

Maclear: Level three restrictions in place. Recent rain in the area has alleviated the situation for now but restrictions remain in place.

Mafikeng

Marquard

Memel

Mount Fletcher and its rural areas: Level three restrictions. Dam is heavily salted and it has no holding capacity. The boreholes of rural areas have run dry and they are experiencing severe challenges.

Mtwaku, Nquamakwe (20km from Butterworth): People in these villages have been suffering from dehydration.

Linzi Thomas of the MyLife Foundation can be contacted if there are volunteers who can assist in Mount Fletcher or the surrounding areas.

Mookgopong (The old Naboomspruit)

Potgietersrus

Olifantshoek

Ottosdal

Petrus Steyn

Reddersburg

Rooigrond

Postmasburg

Prieska

QwaQwa

Reddersburg

Rhodes: Level three restrictions. There is some improvement but restrictions remain in place.

Rossouw: Level three restrictions. Boreholes have run dry and water is being carted to the community.

Rouxville

Sannieshof

Senekal

Smithfield

Sterkspruit rural areas: Water is carted to the rural villages where there are no water and the rural communities are experiencing severe challenges.

Volunteers can also contact the following people in Swartruggens: Paul Botha on 083 372 1395, Oom Ras at the NG Church Old Age Home on 082 923 3016, Lien at Rodeon Old Age Home on 014 544 0312 or the volunteers group at the hospital on 071 201 8338.

Tosca

Vryheid

Winburg

Also read:

Drought picking off vulnerable

How to help in the drought/