The North West Department of Health is drilling boreholes at all health facilities because of municipalities’ inability to provide sufficient water to some hospitals and clinics in the region.
The Joe Morolong Memorial Hospital has been forced to turn away new patients because of a water shortage because of the Naledi Local Municipality’s inability to supply enough water to health facilities in its jurisdiction.
MEC Madoda Sambatha said the water crisis at the Joe Morolong Memorial Hospital alone, has forced the department to cough up more than R1.5 million for interventions, as a result of the municipality’s failure to provide sufficient water.
“Water is a challenge across the province. Just last year we decided to drill boreholes for each facility. So that when the municipal supply cannot provide water. We can quickly rely on boreholes.
“The problem is we are unable to complain yet we have patients to attend to. So that is the reason we use our own money yet it’s not our responsibility. It’s because patients and staff cannot be in a facility that does not have water.
“We do not want to rely on water tankers. We want to rely on a reliable water supply. So boreholes will be on the basis of our own budget. We are already providing ourselves with water tankers because the municipality’s water tanks intervention is failing,” Sambatha said.
Sambada said he was concerned that they might be elements of sabotage in the whole process of water supply infrastructure.
“These are very problematic elements of tempering with the supply of water deliberately. Sometimes the ones responsible for water tanks are also involved because when there is no water supply water tanks, intervention kicks in.
“But in some instances you find that even those employed in the same water departments are part of the sabotage,” he said.
