By Evans Dakwa
Beitbridge-Zimbabwe’s Bill of Rights is very clear when it comes to water, “every person has the right to safe, clean water and sufficient food. The State should therefore take reasonable legislative and other measures within the limits of its available resources, to progressively realise this right.”
To buttress it, the United Nations in its wisdom dedicated Sustainable Development Goal number 6 to the issue of water, declaring the importance of achieving “clean water and sanitation for all”.
That which the country’s supreme law, the constitution recognises as key to brand it a human right has some struggling to have it in Beitbridge. The border town which has been growing in population to the current 60 000 + as of census 2022, has water challenges is experiencing silent water problems affecting mostly the most vulnerable of the emergent town.
Beitbridge’s temperatures soar to an average of 24 degrees Celsius per year, access to clean potable water is erratic especially for the lower strata of this community. This humid and hot town, where dehydration is a constant threat, is struggling to keep pace with its growing population with the most basic of necessities – water.
Despite efforts by the presidential borehole scheme and donor community, the majority of residents have access to municipal water only three days a week, while others are left with no access at all. The few boreholes that dot the town are not enough to meet the demand, and the underground water is largely saline, making it undrinkable.
The situation is not ideal, with the most vulnerable members of society bearing the brunt. They are forced to scavenge for water, often parting with hard-earned cash to buy water for daily use. A minimum of 5 litres of water per day is required to quench the thirst of an average person on a hot day, translating to R10 per day, and R60 for a family of six. This has led to the commoditization of water, a basic human right, with traders selling purified bulk water making brisk business.
“We are crying out for the council to provide water every day,” said a resident from an area popularly known Kuma 2 rooms, who wished to remain anonymous. “At least we can drink the council water, even though it sometimes has traces of dirt, we know there are chemicals there.”
The cheaper alternative for general use outside of drinking water costs an average of Rand 3-5 per 20-liter bucket. This has led to a situation where water, a basic human right, has become a luxury only a few can afford.
“The water from council is not consistent, in our area water is available three days per week , and my call will be for government or even the donor community to help set up a community purification plant that can offer us subsidised clean water to cover the council gap, Beitbridge is very hot and densely populated, we are at risk of diseases,” said a trader at Mashavire market.