Executive Mayor of the municipality, Thanduxolo Khalipha, says Mmamahabane has also been affected by the water challenges. He explains that like other towns which fall under the municipality, Ventersburg gets water from Bultfontein, where it is pumped - using electricity - to Riebeeckstad and from Riebeeckstad electricity is used to pump to Brakpan in Hennenman. Water is then finally pumped to Ventersburg. “With excessive load-shedding, it is difficult to get reservoir levels high. The municipality receives daily levels from Sedibeng, which now falls under Bloem Water,” Khalipha adds.

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Since the problem began, the municipality has asked for assistance from the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), which deployed three water tankers and Bloem Water provided one water tanker. In an attempt to provide further assistance to the affected towns, Khalipha once more requested assistance from SANDF and Bloem Water for more water tankers but the reply he received was some of the tankers have been deployed to Jagersfontein to assist residents after the disaster that hit the town recently. In addition, the Matjhabeng Local Municipality has begun to implement water-shedding in Odendaalsrus, Welkom, Thabong, Hennenman and Phomolong to try and boost reservoir levels until consistent water supply can be restored to Mmamahabane and Ventersburg.

ALSO READ: Ventersburg struggles with water

The issue has recently caused residents to protest in an attempt to get answers from the municipality, as they alleged no communication has been offered to them about when the issue will be sorted. A Ventersburg resident, Willie Pretorius, says the issue has affected schools as it has become difficult for them to function. “It is also difficult to perform household chores,” she says. Pretorius explains that she works at the prison and they have also been struggling at work. To get water, they have to travel from Ventersburg to Hennenman. This is not the first time the town has been left without water for weeks.

ALSO READ: Free State town left dry for days

In the midst of Covid-19 in 2021, the water crisis in the municipality became a great cause of concern. According to some residents in Ventersburg, at the time – the town had been without water for six days. Resident Lynette Pretorius told OFM News that the lack of water supply poses a health risk to residents. She then said they are scared some people might lose their lives to Covid-19 as they are unable to wash their hands. Later in the year the problem started again, but this time the town was left without water for six weeks. Earlier this year, the town was without water for nearly a week. It was alleged that the municipal workers went into Sedibeng Water’s valve chambers in an attempt to fix the water situation at Phomolong in Hennenman, as residents were without water for weeks. DA Chief Whip in the municipality, Maxi Badenhorst, explained after the workers did adjustments on that valve, they lost control over it and now Phomolong has water, but Ventersburg does not.

In the latest incidents, residents are urged to please exercise patience during this time and use water sparingly and responsibly.

ALSO READ: Calm returns to Ventersburg after protest

UPDATE: According to SAPS spokesperson, Peter Kareli, roads have been cleared on Tuesday morning and the protest diffused after water was restored to the community of Ventersburg.

OFM News