Operation Hydrate has announced that it has allocated R1-million for the drilling of an initial 15 boreholes in drought-stricken areas of South Africa.

At the same time, the civil-society body has announced that the distribution of bottled water to five provinces will continue because “more and more taps are running dry and the drought IS widening.”

Operation Hydrate has distributed over seven-million litres of water since it launched in early January.

The initiative was started by a group of Good Samaritans in response to urgent calls for water from affected communities.

“While we continuing to deliver thousands of litres of bottled water for drinking purposes to those affected, we are now moving into phase two which is boreholes,” says Operation Hydrate’s Yaseen Theba.

Operation Hydrate in partnership with the Al-Imdaad Foundation will drill an initial five boreholes in the Zululand district of Kwa-Zulu Natal. Partnerships with other NGO’s are also being finalised for other provinces.

Al-Imdaad Foundation’s KZN Projects Co-ordinator Abed Karrim says several boreholes are up and running in the Eastern Cape and KZN in partnership with the poverty eradication “Operation Sukuma Sakhe” (Standing Together). We are looking forward to the partnership with Operation Hydrate.”

Theba concludes “Operation Hydrate will continue to make a difference and assist those in need. We cannot sit back helplessly and see our people suffering. We must all join hands and must continue and expand our humanitarian efforts.”