Residents haunted as their homes drown in underground water
Water is a precious source of life but too much of it can turn poisonous, even hazardous to human life.
This is the case for people residing at Monganakodu ward in Taung, Ramotswa. Water seeping from underground has left too much damage to homes and some businesses, with the people's lives completely put on hold.
On any random day, they wake up to flooded homes, water strangely coming from underground and flowing into their yards in large quantities. The homes are currently waterlogged. On bad days, water rises and creeps underneath the doors to get inside the houses, destroying furniture and belongings.
On such days, they have no access to and from their homes. Walking around their homes is a struggle. They stack up bricks in an effort to bridge their way in and out of their homesteads.
One affected resident who spoke to this publication, Moetsinyana Sekate (65), recalled how her wardrobe fell to the ground not long ago.
“I heard a crashing sound while sleeping. When I checked what was happening, I found broken pieces of my wardrobe on the floor. It all soaked in water that was always getting into the house, leaving it weak. As we speak I have nowhere to put my clothes,” she said.
She cannot even make fire for cooking anymore. The water has swept away what used to be the cooking area and fireplace that she had erected using mud in front of the house.
“The land is always wet, I have given up on ever making fire in this area,” Sekate said, pointing at the watermarks that were quite visible on the outer walls of her house.
She also showed The Midweek Sun team how she is often unable to access her pit latrine at the far end of her yard.
“You see how this water is making life difficult for us. Look at my house which I built with my hard-earned money. It is now suffocated by water. Look at all the cracks on the wall. Soon it will collapse,” she added.
Sekate has been living at Monganakodu ward since 2002 and has never seen anything like this before, even during the days of Cyclone Dineo that caused havoc throughout the country.
She explained that during the Dineo heavy rains, their homes flooded but water disappeared into the ground within a day or two and did not remain above ground for weeks and months.
What shocks them is that Water Utilities Corporation (WUC) denies that the water could be coming from broken water pipes underground. The people in the area suspect that the water source could be a broken pipe that the WUC is unable to identify.
“They are here almost every day, digging and levelling up but there is no solution. This has been going on for more than a year,” she said.
Another affected resident who preferred anonymity because he is a public servant said life in the area is unbearable.
He has a beautiful home, grass thatched with a healthy green lawn and a swimming pool. His home is fit for hosting social or corporate events. It is a cosy getaway for those needing a breather.
“As you see, I have a makeshift drainage system because my lawn would not have survived this long. This is just my home but often booked for activities.”
He said that more than 20 homes are affected in the area.
“We have written letters to government demanding help with this matter,” he said.
Head of Monganakodu ward Kgosana Jacob Sebetso said their children are not safe, they might drown. They plead with WUC to deal with the matter once and for all.
“I have been here since 1943, this area was not like this and we will not believe that those are natural streams of water. It is not true. People’s properties have been damaged, it is enough,” Sebetso said.
He said chances are that WUC has realised how bad everything is and knows well that if found to be at fault, they will have to pay.
South East District Council Chairman Oshima Peloewetse said his office is aware of the matter.
“I have been there three times and even walked around that area to see what was happening. All I can say is we have met with relevant stakeholders and WUC has been instructed to carry out an investigation to see if there are any leaking pipes. We are waiting for feedback from them,” he said.
He said he knows that the area has always been a saturated zone.
“When people were given land around there, they knew that it is a saturated zone. What I know is that those currently residing there bought the plots without knowing what they are getting themselves into. All those that were given land there sold their plots and hid the truth from the buyers,” Peloewetse said.
The council boss said that in an effort to make things better for themselves, residents hired trucks to fill up sand in front of their homes without consulting them.
The sand was never compacted so that when water flowed, the situation worsened.
“Their feet now get stuck in mud when they walk into their homes, they are now resorting to putting big stones on top of the muddy soil and it causes headache to drivers,” Peloewetse said.
Peter Sedingwe, the Director of Strategy and Corporate Affairs at WUC said they are aware of the seepage issue at Monganakodu ward in Taung and have engaged and advised the affected community accordingly.
"It is to be noted that the affected area in Taung is classified as waterlogged and therefore susceptible to seepage. Investigations are ongoing in collaboration with the area leadership and the community for a way forward in resolving matter," he said.
This is the case for people residing at Monganakodu ward in Taung, Ramotswa. Water seeping from underground has left too much damage to homes and some businesses, with the people's lives completely put on hold.
On any random day, they wake up to flooded homes, water strangely coming from underground and flowing into their yards in large quantities. The homes are currently waterlogged. On bad days, water rises and creeps underneath the doors to get inside the houses, destroying furniture and belongings.
On such days, they have no access to and from their homes. Walking around their homes is a struggle. They stack up bricks in an effort to bridge their way in and out of their homesteads.
One affected resident who spoke to this publication, Moetsinyana Sekate (65), recalled how her wardrobe fell to the ground not long ago.
“I heard a crashing sound while sleeping. When I checked what was happening, I found broken pieces of my wardrobe on the floor. It all soaked in water that was always getting into the house, leaving it weak. As we speak I have nowhere to put my clothes,” she said.
She cannot even make fire for cooking anymore. The water has swept away what used to be the cooking area and fireplace that she had erected using mud in front of the house.
“The land is always wet, I have given up on ever making fire in this area,” Sekate said, pointing at the watermarks that were quite visible on the outer walls of her house.
She also showed The Midweek Sun team how she is often unable to access her pit latrine at the far end of her yard.
“You see how this water is making life difficult for us. Look at my house which I built with my hard-earned money. It is now suffocated by water. Look at all the cracks on the wall. Soon it will collapse,” she added.
Sekate has been living at Monganakodu ward since 2002 and has never seen anything like this before, even during the days of Cyclone Dineo that caused havoc throughout the country.
She explained that during the Dineo heavy rains, their homes flooded but water disappeared into the ground within a day or two and did not remain above ground for weeks and months.
What shocks them is that Water Utilities Corporation (WUC) denies that the water could be coming from broken water pipes underground. The people in the area suspect that the water source could be a broken pipe that the WUC is unable to identify.
“They are here almost every day, digging and levelling up but there is no solution. This has been going on for more than a year,” she said.
Another affected resident who preferred anonymity because he is a public servant said life in the area is unbearable.
He has a beautiful home, grass thatched with a healthy green lawn and a swimming pool. His home is fit for hosting social or corporate events. It is a cosy getaway for those needing a breather.
“As you see, I have a makeshift drainage system because my lawn would not have survived this long. This is just my home but often booked for activities.”
He said that more than 20 homes are affected in the area.
“We have written letters to government demanding help with this matter,” he said.
Head of Monganakodu ward Kgosana Jacob Sebetso said their children are not safe, they might drown. They plead with WUC to deal with the matter once and for all.
“I have been here since 1943, this area was not like this and we will not believe that those are natural streams of water. It is not true. People’s properties have been damaged, it is enough,” Sebetso said.
He said chances are that WUC has realised how bad everything is and knows well that if found to be at fault, they will have to pay.
South East District Council Chairman Oshima Peloewetse said his office is aware of the matter.
“I have been there three times and even walked around that area to see what was happening. All I can say is we have met with relevant stakeholders and WUC has been instructed to carry out an investigation to see if there are any leaking pipes. We are waiting for feedback from them,” he said.
He said he knows that the area has always been a saturated zone.
“When people were given land around there, they knew that it is a saturated zone. What I know is that those currently residing there bought the plots without knowing what they are getting themselves into. All those that were given land there sold their plots and hid the truth from the buyers,” Peloewetse said.
The council boss said that in an effort to make things better for themselves, residents hired trucks to fill up sand in front of their homes without consulting them.
The sand was never compacted so that when water flowed, the situation worsened.
“Their feet now get stuck in mud when they walk into their homes, they are now resorting to putting big stones on top of the muddy soil and it causes headache to drivers,” Peloewetse said.
Peter Sedingwe, the Director of Strategy and Corporate Affairs at WUC said they are aware of the seepage issue at Monganakodu ward in Taung and have engaged and advised the affected community accordingly.
"It is to be noted that the affected area in Taung is classified as waterlogged and therefore susceptible to seepage. Investigations are ongoing in collaboration with the area leadership and the community for a way forward in resolving matter," he said.
