The days of waiting for the truck to deliver water once a week to the residents of more than five communities of Madibeng have come to an end, according to the Department of Water Affairs (DWA). “From today, water is now available at all times 24/7 to the residents of informal settlements around the Hartbeespoort area,” said DWA’s Bigboy Moagi in a statement released by the Ministry of Water Affairs this month.

This came after the minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, Edna Molewa, hosted a Public Participation Programme on 2 March 2013 and handed over seven resuscitated boreholes to the rural community of Refentse and Ten Rooms in the Madibeng Local Municipality.

Addressing the residents, Molewa committed to undertaking various community projects that will serve as Ministerial Community Service Programmes or outreach.

“Hartbeespoort rural communities have been without reliable water supply for over 10 years. The identified communities have a population of more than 7 000 residents who have been relying on tinkering service supplied by the local municipality,” said Moagi.

The minister handed over the boreholes to a very excited community and also kick-started a cleaning campaign in the area. “Our communities must be encouraged to initiate programmes that will benefit them and give them a decent life, which all South Africans deserve. Water is a basic human right and people should be encouraged to conserve it and manage it efficiently,” said Molewa.