With Bethal\u2019s constant water shortages, the AfriForum branch, in collaboration with local farmers, delivered more than 240 000 litres of water to emergency water points, schools and homes in March. AfriForum is coordinating the deliveries and helping with possible challenges, including the connection between the tankers and the water points. AfriForum is standardising emergency water points so that water delivery can take place more efficient. A long pipe has also been delivered to some of the points where the tankers cannot deliver water because the premises are too densely built up. These pipes enable AfriForum to pump water from the main street outside the various homes and emergency water points.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
AfriForum has also written to the Mpumalanga Department of Water and Sanitation requesting that they put further pressure on the Govan Mbeki Local Municipality (GMM) and Rand Water to make water delivery more sustainable. At the same time, AfriForum and the GMM are butting heads because the organisation has submitted several applications in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) regarding the water supply agreement between Rand Water and GMM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\u201cGMM does not want to take the honourable path and inform us about the real cause of the water shortages. We of course \u2013 just like residents \u2013 have a strong suspicion that the shortages can be attributed to non-payment, but we cannot build the case on speculation. We will continue to fight for the truth because residents deserve it, along with sustainable water delivery,\u201d says Hennie Bekker, District Coordinator for AfriForum in Mpumalanga.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
AfriForum has also undertaken several maintenance projects in the town, including at the entrance to the BCVO school along the Kriel Road, which AfriForum has been maintaining for the past 14 months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Furthermore, AfriForum also used more than 230 bags of tar to repair Tsibitso Sibanyoni Street, in collaboration with several residents who sponsored the tar. A follow-up project is already planned to further repair the street. Klipfontein butchery also approached AfriForum to repair a giant pothole right in front of the butchery\u2019s main entrance. This project took 13 bags of tar that the butchery sponsored. AfriForum sponsored the labour and machinery to complete the projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\u201cBusinesses and residents can feel free to contact us to help them with pothole repairs. If the residents pay for the product, AfriForum will complete the repairs in Bethal free of charge. In this way, we and residents subsidise the repair of our town,\u201d concludes Bekker.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n