Water is one of the most important substances on earth. As a result, many living things always depend on it for survival. According to environmental analysts, the deficiency of water in most parts of the world is a problem. Most of the time, it is contributed to by anthropogenic activities and natural calamities. Deforestation is among the anthropogenic factors that result in water shortage, while natural occurrences like drought result in drying up of water bodies, more so the seasonal ones.
In research relating to water scarcity, Africanews discovered a village in South Africa, approximately two hours from Johannesburg. The village in the study, known as Jericho, located in the Municipality of Madibeng, has been experiencing a scarcity of water.
The region is known as “madibeng,” which means “a place of water.” It has been regarded as a miraculous habitation because it has had running water since its democratic transition in 1994. Despite this, the community of Jericho has not seen a drop of water in 27 years.
The fruits of democracy have yet to materialize for Jericho residents, despite the fact that the city was founded almost a century ago.
Residents Forced to Move to Towns
During an interview with Africanews, a local narrated the challenges they’ve been facing regarding water scarcity in Jericho. The resident states that he cannot recall the last time water flowed from their taps.
“There’s a problem with water. It’s been far too long since water has flowed from these taps. The faucets are rusty. It’s been a long time.”
Due to the unending challenges, urbanization has moved most young people towards the cities and towns, as it did in many other sections of rural South Africa. Therefore, the majority of the villages are left housing the elderly. Nowadays, Jericho resembles a nursing home, with at least one elderly person residing in every second residence, which is also fitted with a water tank. Sometimes, water is delivered by road.
Eva Zulu was born in Jericho and had to return to the city in 1988 to care for her ailing parents. She now lives in the community and manages the water supply. Eva is a difficult task, who is wheelchair-bound and serves as the principal caregiver for her bedridden husband.
While describing the foreign issue at her home, this is what she says:
“You see, our kids gave us this tank so that when we get any money, we can go out and buy water and keep it in there.”
Despite protests and a Human Rights Commission order, even though the municipality has been placed under management four times since 2006, hope has run out.
The mayor’s administration rebuffed requests for comment from Africanews journalist Karabo Terrens in Jericho, North-West Province. Even though the situation in the village has deteriorated, there is a possibility of an improvement if the government and the residents adapt to possible solutions to improve the situation.
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