Health hazard looms in Dete

Zim Now Writer

The small settlement of Dete in the Hwange District of Matabeleland North Province is staring at a health hazard as it has gone for almost a month without water.

This has forced residents to resort to bush toilets, exposing themselves to possible attacks by wild animals.

The developing town of Dete, which lies within the Hwange National Park, started as a small railway re-crewing depot on the Bulawayo-Hwange-Victoria Falls railway line.

The failure by the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) to pump enough water from its reservoir due to electrical faults during the rainy season, coupled with prolonged hours of load-shedding have been the major causes of the current challenge.

Councillor for Ward 18 in Dete, Stanley Torima said the water challenge is affecting the livelihoods of residents and businesses with children now attending classes for a half a day.

“This problem has been going on for almost a month now and it has also affected businesses. Residents are now forced to relieve themselves in the bush, which is risky given that we are within Hwange National Park where there are dangerous wild animals,” said Torima.

He added that learners have also been affected as they are no longer spending the whole day at school because there is no water. “We honestly do not blame Zinwa in this case because there is little that they can do.”

The residents also fear an outbreak of waterborne diseases while Dete Residents Association chairperson, Douglas Mpofu, said the water crisis worsen human-wildlife conflict as people are now using bushes where wild animals roam.

He appealed to the government and well-wishers to assist by drilling more boreholes to augment water supplies.

Hwange Rural District Council chief executive officer Phindile Ncube said people cannot go for so long without water, adding that they had alerted Zinwa of the challenge.

Zinwa corporate communications and marketing manager, Marjorie Munyonga, said the water authority and Zesa Holdings were working tirelessly to ensure the situation is rectified.

She said Dete has been facing constant power challenges during the rainy season, resulting in water treatment and distribution systems being affected.