To counter the impacts of the drought in KwaZulu-Natal, a charity organisation has raised almost R500 000 to drill boreholes in the province’s worst-affected communities.
Islamic Relief South Africa said in a statement this week that they had undertaken to drill 18 boreholes in affected settlements regionally over the next six months to deliver clean drinking water to those living there.
The full approximate cost of one borehole is R84 000 and the project, in total, is expected to cost about R1.5 mn.
Several areas – including Wyebank, Ladysmith, Umbumbulu and Verulam – have been earmarked to receive boreholes.
The provision of water, they said, would help improve sanitation, thereby reducing disease outbreaks.
“A good supply of clean water will also allow these rural communities to continue with their subsistence livelihood projects, giving hope.”
They said in South Africa, an estimated 40% of its population of 51 million people lived in rural settlements.
“Of this, 74% are reliant on groundwater. Currently 19% of the rural population lacks access to reliable water sources and some 33% do not have basic sanitation services.”
The United Nations estimates that 783 million people do not have access to clean water.
Their research found that one in three people did not use improved sanitation and one in seven practiced open defecation.
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