The water crisis in Limpopo’s Mopani district is worsening and there isn’t a solution in sight. The district is marred by persistent water shortages and at some stage bore holes were flagged as a solution.

A plan to get water from the Nandoni dam in Vhembe was derailed by court action. Now residents say their health is being seriously compromised. They believe government is not prioritising water provision.

Resident David Magagane says, “Bore holes provided by the municipality are not working and the municipal water tankers are not coming as frequently as they should. The municipality has not been spending money it got from the national government to address the water shortage.”

However the municipality has blamed the weather.

Spokesperson for the Mopani District Municipality Neil Shikwambana says, “The district has not been getting good rains and as a result there is not enough underground water to keep bore holes going. Water being pumped from the Nandoni dam outside Thohoyandou to the Nsami dam in Giyani seems to be the only solution at this stage but is going to take yet another year.”