adminPlotholders at the project told Chronicle in interviews over the weekend that they are now faced with critical water shortages after the riverbed of Thekwane River from where they abstract water has dried up.
“We need a reliable borehole at the site as the Thekwane River bed is now failing to produce enough water to water the four acre garden.
“The manual system used in the abstraction of water is proving to be a big challenge to the 48 plotholders and we are appealing for assistance to sink a borehole at the site,” said Mr James Ndebele, the chairman of the project.
A special committee member, Mr Samson Bhokile Dube, who is also the acting village head of the area, echoed his sentiments.
“This project is meant to capacitate people of Ward 21 and at least give them a chance to earn a living. Their dreams are now going to waste due to this water problem,” said village head Dube.
Ms Sylvia Dube, the secretary of the project said their situation had been compounded by a frost that hit the area sometime last month.
“As you can see most of the vegetables are frost bitten except onions that withstood the cold spell. Water is now the biggest challenge as we are forced to wake up early in the morning to harness the little water that would be there,” she said.
The plotholders are grateful to Orap for having provided the materials for fencing off their plot although now the non-governmental organisation does not seem to be in a position to assist with the water problems that are dogging them.
They also work with an Arex officer who gives them the technical know how on what to do in order to fully utilise their plots.
Each plotholder has 20 beds and the vegetables they grow include rape, spinach and onions.
Online Reporter