VILLAGERS in Gwanda South are reportedly spending whole nights queuing for water as shortage of the essential liquid grips the semi-arid area.
BY NQOBANI NDLOVU
A number of boreholes are either not functional or have run dry, forcing villagers to form long queues at the few remaining ones, Southern Eye has learnt.
The boreholes are, however, locked between 6pm and 6am, forcing villagers to sleep in queues.
Former Gwanda South legislator Ekem Moyo (MDC) said the worst affected areas were Silonga, Vuma, Mbizo, Takaliyawa and Pikini.
“We appeal for intervention as the water situation is out of hand. Villagers have to sleep in queues for the precious liquid and the sad thing is that the water is rationed by members of the borehole management committee,” Moyo said.
He added: “Each villager is allowed to draw water to fill only one bucket no matter how big one’s family is, meaning then that the whole family has to leave their chores to queue for water.
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“We appeal to those in power to come to our aid. There are fears now that we might even face an outbreak of waterborne diseases as a result.” The water crisis is also forcing villagers to sell their livestock that already stare death owing to lack of pastures because of drought.
Government has urged villagers to destock to avoid losses due to cattle deaths. However, destocking is a painful exercise for many.
Already, eight cattle deaths have been reported in Gwanda district as a result of the drought, amid fears that more than 350 000 cattle were at risk if no intervention measures were urgently taken.
In 2012, the province lost more than 9 000 cattle to drought.
