Water for Musina residents from Zimbabwe in new deal

LIMPOPO – After years of unreliable access to water, Musina residents will soon be breathing a sigh of relief.

This follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) by Water and Sanitation Minister Senzo Mchunu and his Zimbabwean counterpart, Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, and Rural Development Minister Dr Anxious Jongwe Masuka on Thursday, March 14.

This landmark agreement signals a collaborative effort to address Musina’s water challenges through the transfer of treated water.

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On Friday, March 15, Mchunu held another meeting with the leaders and community members. The project is expected to be completed in 2026, and he said that for too long, the people of Musina have been struggling with the consequences of inconsistent water supply, facing daily disruptions to their livelihoods and well-being.

Cassandra Tivani, a resident, told CV that the situation forces them to travel long distances carrying buckets on their heads to fetch water from the local fire station.

“Sometimes we have to buy water for R5 per container, which not all of us can afford. We cannot wait to get clean water from Zimbabwe, and we hope that the municipality does not overcharge us, as most of us are unemployed,” she said. It’s reported that the resolution comes after residents protested several times demanding constant water supply. Residents complain that they sometimes get water twice a week and go without water for two weeks.

Reekson Matamela, chairman of SANCO Musina Urban, said they are glad a resolution has been found to address the water problems.

“Our people have been negatively affected for many years, and when they are not able to afford the high municipal water bills, the municipality cuts their electricity off,” he said. The significance of this agreement cannot be overstated. Mchunu said they visited Musina last year as people protested over the shortage of water.

“I am very pleased today that, on behalf of his excellency Dr Emmerson Mnangagwa, this day has come to fruition as it has taken years of negotiations. Water challenges go beyond geographical and administrative boundaries, so they require transboundary cooperation. We hope the collaboration alleviates the water issues. We had a meeting with the committee as we wanted to know our commitment in addressing the problem. We hope that our relationship with Zimbabwe will grow stronger,” Mchunu said.