adminAlthough there were donkeys littering the road posing as a distraction here and there, the constituency is generally accessible given the fact that it is a rural constituency.
Dilapidated infrastructure is rarely seen as the business centres, most schools and medical facilities are well maintained.
The electorate in Tsholotsho North constituency depend on solar energy while a few use generators.
The houses in the area are a marvel with architecture that would leave one thinking they were in an urban area.
Dutch style roofs and brightly painted houses are the order of the day.
However, the quality of life for the voters in the constituency has been compromised due to water and food shortages.
Constituents in the area said their crops had wilted due to inadequate rains and people did not have enough to eat as a result.
People have to buy food while many survive on food for work programmes that have been initiated by some non-governmental organisations operating in the area.
Under this programme, villagers work at various projects that have been implemented in the constituency and later receive food rations as payment.
The standard payment is determined by the number of children one has. For example, if someone has one child, they would receive a 10kg bag of mealie-meal, a 5kg bag of sugar beans and a five-litre bottle of cooking oil.
Mrs Musa Mkhwebu (51), who works at a grinding mill at Sipepa Business Centre, said the food shortages in the area were extensive.
She said due to the hot and dry climatic conditions in the area, villagers did not harvest anything from the past farming season.
“We did not harvest anything and have resorted to buying food from supermarkets. This has become strenuous because in order for one to buy food they would have to have money.
“There is no job market here and so we are forced to do menial jobs to earn a living.
“I have to work at this grinding mill because l have nothing else to do that could give me enough money to buy food,” said Mrs Mkhwebu.
She said their children did not have to walk long distances to attend school because the schools in the area were easily accessible.
Mrs Mkhwebu stays in Caphuka and she said water was a problem in her area.
“There is only one water source in the area and people have to share the water with their livestock.
“The situation is really bad and you find that even that well sometimes runs out of water and we are forced to walk long distances to fetch it,” she said.
Mrs Mkhwebu said she knew their elected representative.
“I know the MP although it has been a long while since he visited the area. Our major problems are water and food shortages,” she said.
Ms Pauline Sibanda, (55), who was coming from receiving treatment at St Luke’s Hospital in Lupane and was still in transit to her home koMlevu, reiterated the fact that there were food shortages in the constituency.
“Kulendlala enkulu, akula lutho oluphumayo emasimini. Amabele setshile, sesisele singela lutho (There are serious food shortages because we did not harvest anything. Our crops have dried leaving us with nothing),” she said.
“Amanzi lawo ayahlupha ngoba kule borehole eyodwa njalo idamu asilalo (Water is also a problem because we only have one borehole meant to service the whole area and we do not have a dam to meet the deficit).”
Ms Sibanda said schools in the area where she resides were a bit far and children had to walk long distances to get to school.
Medical facilities were, however, easily accessible and patients were only referred to bigger hospitals when their condition could not be treated at the smaller medical facilities.
Ms Sibanda said non-governmental organisations operating in the area were very helpful in providing villagers with food.
“Sihlutshwa ngamanzi kakhulu. Khathesi sinatha emfuleni ocitshayo (Water is a big problem. We have been drinking water from a nearby river, which usually runs dry),” said Mr Petros Soluntu (73) who stays in Mathuphula.
Mr Soluntu said there was congestion at the small river they fetch water from.
He said many people in the area did not bother to boil the water exposing themselves to diseases.
Mr Enoch Ndlovu, (65), who was clad in a bright yellow pair of trousers and bright red and black t-shirt, sang the same song about the scarcity of water in the area.
Mr Ndlovu said their well broke down and they were forced to drink water from a nearby river.
“Sinatha emfuleni njalo siwanatha enjalo amanzi akhona. Imikhuhlane minengi ngenxa yalokho (We drink water from a river without boiling or treating it first. People are often sick as a result),” he said.
“Ukudla lakho kuyasihlupha. Khathesi ngivela gayisa igokoko lami lokucina lomumbu. Lingaphela angikwazi ukuthi sizakudlani (Food has become a problem. I have just taken the last of my maize to the grinding mill. When we finish it, l do not know what we will eat),” said the Mbanyana-based Mr Ndlovu.
Mr Ndlovu said pupils had to walk long distances in order to get to their secondary school but pupils of primary school going age did not face the same problem.
He said the electorate living in Mbanyana had to walk long distances to seek medical attention from Sipepa Rural Hospital, which sometimes runs out of drugs.
Mr Ndlovu said there had been visible development in the area and there were classroom blocks being built at Mahlaba and Mcetshwa Primary Schools.
Online Reporter