Youths in Marula, Mangwe district have challenged local authorities to step up their efforts in addressing the water crisis facing the community
A concerned local youth Mr Layton Ndlovu highlighted how the community accesses water.
‘The public gets water through a community borehole which uses an electric pump. Sometimes electricity shuts down for days living people in limbo. This is a serious challenge which requires the Rural District Council to act immediately considering that access to water is not just a right but has become important especially in a period when the world is fighting Coronavirus’, said Ndlovu.
According to Marula councilor Mrs Ngonidzashe Chemhuru water sources available are not enough as the local clinic is currently getting water from Plumtree through Bowsers.
Ndlovu added that some community members stay as far as 5km from the shops and therefore have to walk such a distance to access the borehole. A local community member Mr Tshidzani Ncube is providing water to the community through a pipeline that draws it from a local well to his home.
Ndlovu challenged the local authorities and local leaders to engage other stakeholders such as non-governmental organisations to solve the crisis
“Also respected community leaders can seek help from the public and from local NGOs to help construct dams because it is not only people who are suffering but also the livestock. The dams are there are now silted and therefore their holding capacity is low’, he said.
The community engaged on a Food For Work Program from September to December last year in an effort repair the local dam wall which they believe needs more attention.
In the midst of COVID-19 and the drought hitting millions of citizens, rural communities access to basic services such as water and health remain compromised.
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