RESIDENTS of Hwange in Matabeleland North have gone for four days without running water after a Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) pipe that supplies the town with water burst.
RICHARD MUPONDE SENIOR REPORTER
The dry taps have affected service delivery as the Hwange Magistrates’ Court and Compensation Building, which houses all government departments, were being forced to close early leaving members of the public stranded.
Schools in Empumalanga, Chibondo and Baobab have also been turning away pupils fearing a health hazard.
The situation is so dire that the Hwange Local Town Board was contemplating engaging the Civil Protection Unit (CPU) for help. The local board’s chief executive officer Ndumiso Mdlalose yesterday confirmed the critical shortage of water in the coal mining town.
“There is a Zinwa pipe which burst and they are working on it. As of Wednesday we were advised that they were almost through with repairs such that today (yesterday) we can start receiving water.
“However if the situation continues like this, we will have to engage the CPU for help,” he said.
Hwange has been facing a water crisis for a while with some of the problems being attributed to vandalism of pipes from the Zambezi River by some villagers.
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“The pipes belong to Zinwa, the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) and Hwange Colliery Company. Yes, they have been facing problems of vandalism. If you draw water for more than 40 kilometres and it’s passing through people who don’t have it, vandalism is common,” said Mdlalose.
