Online Reporter
Obey Sibanda
VILLAGERS in Inyathi, Bubi District, are celebrating improved access to clean water after Ward 8 Councillor Ignatius Khabo facilitated the drilling of two boreholes in Villages 5 and 6, ending years of hardship caused by chronic water shortages.
For many years, residents relied on a single borehole shared by three villages, forcing some households to walk up to 10 kilometres to access water. The long journeys and lengthy queues placed a heavy burden on families, particularly women and children, who often spent several hours each day collecting water.
The situation became more severe during the dry season when water sources dwindled, forcing villagers to travel even greater distances in search of the precious resource. Residents also faced security risks along the routes to water points, with many choosing to travel in groups for protection.
“We used to spend hours looking for water, and sometimes our children missed school because they had to help fetch it. These new boreholes have brought great relief to our community. We now have more time to focus on farming, our families and other productive activities,” said Mrs Sibongiseni Dube of Village 5.
Councillor Khabo said the initiative was motivated by the urgent need to improve the welfare of residents, whose daily lives, health and livelihoods had been negatively affected by inadequate access to water.
“I facilitated the drilling of one borehole in Village 5 and another in Village 6 so that our communities can have easier access to clean and safe water,” he said.
Beyond meeting household needs, the new water sources are expected to improve livestock production, which had been constrained by water shortages.
Village Head Njabulo Mnkandla welcomed the development, saying it would have a positive impact on both residents and their animals.
“Our livestock had also been suffering because of the shortage of water. This project has come at the right time and we are grateful to Councillor Khabo for responding to our needs,” he said.
The borehole in Village 6 is expected to complement an existing Government-installed borehole that serves the Village Business Units (VBUs). Limited water supplies had previously affected operations at the centre, but the additional borehole is expected to support gardening projects, nutrition programmes and other income-generating activities.
Residents believe the improved water supply will help strengthen local economic activities while enhancing household food security and community resilience.
Councillor Khabo said the borehole drilling programme marks the beginning of a broader initiative to improve access to water across the ward.
“Our vision is to solarise all boreholes in Ward 8 so that communities have a reliable and sustainable water supply throughout the year. Access to clean water is a basic necessity and as leaders we have a responsibility to improve the living conditions of our people,” he said.
Villagers praised the councillor for addressing one of the community’s most pressing challenges and expressed hope that additional development projects would follow.
“We appreciate the commitment shown by our councillor. These boreholes have transformed our lives, and we look forward to seeing more initiatives that improve our community,” said Village Head Mnkandla.
