HIGHVELD – The Community Policing Forums (CPF) of several towns in conjunction with Echo/Ridge Times newspapers, the Secunda Angels and Curamus, several primary schools, businesses and members from the community collected 6.7 ton water for Bethal last week.
The bottles of water filled up numerous bakkies and trailers and were delivered in convoy at Bethal on Friday, 25 January.
Bethal residents were overwhelmed when the vehicles loaded with water arrived at the EG Church.
Several residents anxiously waited for the consignment to arrive as they desperately needed water for their households.
The Secunda and Bethal CPF initiated the project and the Echo/Ridge Times newspapers, as well as the Secunda Angels, Trichardt CPF, Evander CPF and the sector police groups falling under the different CPFs, Oregon Spur, United Motors, AST Propshaft, Nikkor, Habps Security, Cronje De Waal and Skhosana, Jandy Trailers, Dormio Manor Guest Lodge, TP Stratten Primary School, Laerskool Hoëveld, Laerskool Secunda, Laerskool Goedehoop and Curamus took hands and ran with the project.
Learners from Laerskool Goedehoop even wrote messages of encouragement on the bottles. Ms Marietjie Fourie, DA Councillor in Bethal, said it is wonderful to see how the communities work together.
Mr Benzi Soko, Chief of Staff of Govan Mbeki Municipality, said water tankers are on site in eMbalenhle as some areas were affected over the weekend by Rand Water reducing the water supply. According to Mr Soko, on Monday, 28 January, the Kinross reservoir was pumping water at 100 per cent and Bethal at 95 per cent.
“We are working around the clock to manage the water situation,” said Mr Soko.
“We have been paying almost weekly to deal with the Rand Water debt and we have managed to reduce the debt from R183 million to R118 million.”
However, some areas in Bethal were left without water over the weekend.
Ms Fourie contacted a municipal official who confirmed that there was a problem with the water supply to one of the reservoirs and that Rand Water was only pumping water at 80 per cent.
They later realised that a cable was stolen and that this is the cause of the restricted water supply.
