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Prosper Dembedza Herald Reporter
Water woes in Chitungwiza have created opportunities for some unemployed youths who are now selling water to those who do not want to spend time in long queues at boreholes.Residents have now gone for over two weeks without tap water and this situation has driven some youths to sell it (water) to those who do not want to spend a long time in queues.
When The Herald visited Chikwanha Shopping Centre and parts of Zengeza 2,3 and 4 yesterday, several youths could be seen pushing carts laden with water containers to and from boreholes.
One of the youths in Zengeza 2, who identified himself as Clinton Makumbe, said although the water woes were affecting a lot of people in the town, for him it was a blessing in disguise as he is now able to make a quick buck selling water.
“The water crisis has provided us with the opportunity to make money since we are unemployed. I’m now earning a living through selling water. For each 20-litre container, I charge R3 and I can fetch as many as 160 buckets of water every day,” he said.
Another youth from Zengeza 3, who identified himself as Itai Njeru, said he was now able to pay his family’s utility bills through selling water.
“Although this situation is terrible to some people, to me, its an opportunity because I’m making money out of selling water,” he said.
However, most residents expressed dissatisfaction with the water shortages saying the town’s authorities should act fast to avoid a cholera outbreak.
Mbuya Gunda, who resides in Zegeza 4, said the situation was hard for her as she now spends over three hours in the long queues at the borehole waiting for her turn to fetch water.
“This situation has became very difficult for us. Our toilets are dirty and we have no water at our house. We are lucky to be alive, otherwise we should be dead from cholera. I am 80 years old and every day I spend three to four hours standing in a queue to fetch water.
“Council must do something about this. Soon we will have a cholera outbreak if the situation remains like this,” she said.
Chitungwiza municipality public relations manager Mr Zephania Zuze said the pump that supplies water from Harare to Chitungwiza had a break down resulting in the water shortages.
“Residents of Chitungwiza should expect tap water anytime this week since we are about to complete repairs on the pump which supplies water from Harare to Chitungwiza which had burst.
“So far we have managed to restore water in Seke South and will restore water to all the areas soon, “ he said.
Online Reporter