The community of Dairing outside Blood River serves as an example of how co-opted resources could work towards securing necessary services in a place hard hit by the realities of living without water.
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in Capricorn Region is steering the facilitation of water supply in a section of Dairing after having taken it upon themselves to secure a connection to an existing water source and putting up tanks in a central location for future benefit of an estimated 600 community members.
On Friday Polokwane Observer met with EFF Capricorn Regional Secretary Oscar Motolla in the area where a host of community members were engaged in digging a trench leading from the spot where the two tanks would be positioned, to a property with a windmill and a water source reportedly constructed more than 20 years ago. Since last Monday close to 30 men and women have volunteered their time and equipment towards the cause, he mentioned.
According to Motolla the specific windmill had been put up more than 20 years ago for the sole use of water for cattle and he stressed that many boreholes were sunk in the area in the past but were not fitted with connections.
Motolla pointed out that they intended putting up two water tanks on one corner of the yard of a dwelling where the stands were already awaiting fixture, to be connected with the windmill situated on another corner property some half a kilometre away. The owner thereof had already given permission for an arrangement around a temporary electric connection, he added. They planned to have the windmill refurbished, the water tested for purposes of human consumption and a permanent connection secured by Eskom, it was learnt.
By Friday morning the team of workers had another approximate 300 metres to dig before reaching a point where the trench would cross over the gravel stretch leading down from the road between Blood River and Moletjie. This morning Motolla predicted that they would finish today and have the water connected later this week.
He explained that they planned to take the project to other areas where the same situation prevailed, such as Dairing Extension, Moloto 1 & 2, Makgofe and Kwena Ofentse and in the long run had to get running water installed in houses in the settlement.
But currently the focus is on a community working together towards a bigger goal, irrespective of political affiliation.
Story and photos: YOLANDE NEL
>>observer.yolande@gmail.com
Featured photo: EFF Capricorn Regional Secretary Oscar Motolla with community members hard at work at digging the trench on Friday.
