Greater Letaba, Limpopo — Residents in parts of the Greater Letaba Local Municipality have threatened to boycott the upcoming local government elections, accusing the Mopani District Municipality of failing to provide clean running water since the 2021 municipal elections, The Citizen reported this week.
Daily struggle for water
Villagers in Ward 2, including the settlement of Ga-Moshakga, described an everyday reality of scarce water. According to the report, municipal records show several boreholes were drilled but most are not supplying water. One resident said that at times a single borehole produces enough water for washing and cooking, while on other days it yields little or nothing.
“During the ANC campaign, months before the 1994 first democratic elections, the party promised us one important thing – water on our doorstep … But for years now, this oldest African political party of our great ancestors has failed to provide this so‑called better life,” said Jimmy Molewa of Ga‑Moshakga, according to The Citizen.
Another resident reported paying neighbours with working boreholes to buy water at high cost. The story says mostly women in the ward bear the burden of fetching and paying for water.
What the records show
Residents told The Citizen they found evidence in municipal records that five boreholes had been drilled in the ward. Of those five, only one currently produces water, the report said. Further checks at the Mopani District offices in Kgapane reportedly showed three boreholes were listed as duplicates, taking the total recorded number to eight, a discrepancy residents want explained.
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Boreholes drilled (municipal records) | 5 |
| Boreholes currently producing water | 1 |
| Additional entries listed as duplicates | 3 (bringing total to 8) |
Residents demand answers
Local residents want the district to clarify where the apparent extra boreholes are, what they cost and why they are non‑functional. Questions over possible duplication in municipal records have fuelled suspicion about poor planning, inadequate maintenance and possible misuse of public funds.
The Citizen’s reporting indicates community leaders are considering withholding their votes to signal their dissatisfaction with steady service delivery failures. The move would be a notable form of protest in an area where access to water has been a long‑standing issue.
Broader implications for service delivery and elections
Across rural Limpopo, failures in basic services such as water supply affect daily life and have political consequences. Ahead of local government elections, promises made by parties — particularly around basic infrastructure — are being reevaluated by voters who say their lived experience does not match campaign pledges.
- Residents in Ward 2 say they rely on a single working borehole at times.
- Some households are forced to buy water from neighbours at a fee.
- Discrepancies in municipal records have raised concerns about accountability.
Local civic organisations, ward councillors and municipal officials were not quoted in the original report beyond residents’ accounts. The Citizen’s account suggests growing frustration among communities who say they have waited years for reliable water infrastructure and maintenance.
For residents, the immediate priorities are clear: restore functioning water points, explain discrepancies in municipal records and establish a dependable supply so families no longer compete with livestock or resort to expensive purchases. Those demands, if not addressed, may translate into an organised voter boycott when ballots open.
Reporting for this article is based on coverage by The Citizen. Further comment from Mopani District Municipality and Greater Letaba Local Municipality was not included in that report.
— Mpho Netshimbupfe, Limpopo Correspondent (Polokwane)
