Staff Reporter
… DMA and WASCO acknowledged for response efforts
Mafeteng is grappling with a severe water shortage, with the District Medical Officer, Dr. Mpho Seleke, reporting that patients at Mafeteng Hospital are at times unable to access water for basic needs like medication administration and bathing.
Seleke was quick to note that the Disaster Management Authority (DMA) and the Water and Sewage Company (WASCO) have been attempting to alleviate the situation by supplying water to the hospital via tankers.
“We appreciate the efforts of DMA and WASCO for bringing water with tankers,” he acknowledged in an interview with Newsday yesterday.
“When the water supply depletes, and while these organisations scramble to source more, our patients are left without water for drinking, medication, or bathing,” Seleke stated, highlighting the severity of the crisis.
He further stressed the sanitation challenges this poses.
“Maintaining hospital hygiene becomes nearly impossible under these conditions, and we all know how critical cleanliness is in a healthcare setting.”
Seleke elaborated that the water crisis affects not just those admitted but also outpatients who need water while waiting for consultations.
“Even companions of patients require water, and our staff, especially those who are not Mafeteng residents, as they lack local water contingency plans,” he remarked.
“The situation is dire, but we must acknowledge the assistance from DMA and WASCO.”
He pointed out that among the 18 health centres in the district, including the main hospital, only the hospital and the clinic at Lehcop do not have access to boreholes.
The water crisis has drawn the attention of Prime Minister Ntsokoane Samuel Matekane, who visited the district on Wednesday to see the parched reality for himself.
Earlier this month, WASCO released a statement acknowledging the severe water scarcity currently affecting Mafeteng and said it was taking urgent action to address the water crisis.
“The Water and Sewerage Company (WASCO) acknowledges the severe water scarcity currently affecting Mafeteng, which has disrupted daily life and strained businesses and essential services,” WASCO said.
It indicated that this crisis directly resulted from unpredictable weather patterns linked to climate change, including prolonged droughts and extreme heat waves, compounded by the siltation of the Rasebala Dam, the town’s primary water source.
WASCO’s caretaker Chief Executive Seboko, expressed deep concern over the situation.
“We are acutely aware of the hardships faced by the Mafeteng community and businesses due to the ongoing water scarcity. As your service provider, we are fully committed to implementing effective measures to alleviate the crisis and ensure that Mafeteng residents and businesses receive the water they desperately need,” Seboko said.
According to WASCO, the Rasebala Dam, commissioned in 1993 and upgraded in 2012 to meet growing demand, has suffered significant siltation, reducing its storage capacity to just 15 percent.
The town’s water treatment plant, designed to produce 3.3 Mega Liters per day (ML/D), currently delivers only 1.8 ML/D, well below the town’s demand.
“Additional challenges include dwindling water levels in supplementary dams, Luma and Raleting, which were commissioned during a severe drought in 2015 as temporary relief measures,” WASCO said.
Last month, Advocate Fusi Sehapi, on behalf of Mafeteng residents, and the rights group, the Advocates for the Supremacy of the Constitution (SECTION 2), urged authorities to address the crisis.
In a letter to Health Minister Selibe Mochoboroane and Natural Resources Minister Mohlomi Moleko, Sehapi reminding them of the government’s obligation to provide water.
SECTION 2 issued a statement on December 31, 2024, confirming severe water shortages in Mafeteng and calling on Moleko to declare a water emergency within 14 days. He has not declared an emergency and the 14-day period has lapsed.
“Compliance with legal regulations governing water resource management is crucial for maintaining the rule of law and safeguarding citizens’ rights,” SECTION 2 said.
The organisation pledged solidarity with Mafeteng residents and demanded transparency in water management practices. Failure to address the crisis, it warned, would lead to legal action against WASCO and the government.
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