Cape Town – Graaff-Reinet residents were elated when disaster relief organisation Gift of the Givers announced its decision to deploy resources to the drought-stricken region from yesterday.
The organisation had sent three superlinks laden with water, three water tankers, a drilling machine and its hydrologist, Dr Gideon Groenewald, to the region.
Unfortunately, the drilling operations for water were not able to start at 7am today after equipment was stolen and the drilling rig tampered with overnight, the HeraldLive reported, but were back on track by noon.
The outraged residents are now searching for the culprits.
Gift of the Givers project manager Ali Sablay said: “Members of the team arrived at the site at about 7am when they discovered that some of our tools had been stolen.
"The cables to the drilling rig have also been tampered with in what appears to be an attempt to also strip it.
"What we can see missing is batteries, tools and diesel needed for the drilling to commence. The one spanner stolen is a specialist spanner that we now need to source from either Port Elizabeth or East London.
“The community is up in arms and are searching for the culprits. They are furious that they cannot get water due to some criminal elements.”
Gift of the Givers back on track after theft https://t.co/RSsKxEGaVs pic.twitter.com/MJTFDM3Q7Q
— GraaffReinetA (@GraaffReinetA) October 2, 2019
Sablay said that the tools and rigs had been parked at the Spandau Public School.
Gift of the Givers is currently providing assistance in Adelaide, Bedford, Queenstown, King William’s Town, Nanaga and Makhanda, with Butterworth scheduled for intervention next.
Gift of the Givers was also recently announced as the new official rapid response unit for the national Department of Water and Sanitation by Minister Lindiwe Sisulu.
The Dr Beyers Naude Municipality said it welcomed any intervention by the organisation.
“The Nqweba Dam level in Graaff-Reinet that supplies water to all areas of the town and surrounds is currently at 0% and the community is serviced via 28 boreholes.
‘‘The municipality is required to service 3 392 households and a population of 37 670 with water, that’s excluding schools, training academies, correctional services and tourism establishments,” municipality spokesperson Edwardine Abader said.
“The municipality has received assistance from the Department of Water and Sanitation: the department provided Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant funding to refurbish boreholes. Once the project is finished, 30 boreholes will be in operation.
‘‘The pumping rates of the boreholes are constantly monitored to ensure that they’re not over abstracted since it may permanently damage the aquifer.”