The Motsepe Foundation donated a borehole in response to the water crisis at Khatisa section of Gumbani village in the Collins Chabane Municipality.
The community, especially women, used to travel a long distance to a communal water tap that had been earmarked for more than 40 households in this poverty-stricken community.
"The water would always come at midnight, when most people were fast asleep or resting," said a community builder and representative, Mr Bishop Baloyi.
Residents relied heavily on buying water from their neighbours who had boreholes. They had stopped going to collect water in the night after an incident of a suspected ritual murder that had rocked the area in 2016, where a young woman was found killed, allegedly with missing body parts.
"Many people became scared and terrified to go out looking for water at night," he said. "This new borehole and tank add value to the lives of residents in that they feel that their dignity has been restored now."
One of the residents, Ms Nkhensani Mkhari, expressed relief about the fact that she would now be able to collect water from an uninterrupted water supply. "I am so happy that we now have water closer to our homes," she said. "They have quenched our thirst; we thank them for being this considerate."
Baloyi said that the Vhembe District Municipality should focus on delivering services to the people as it was enshrined in the Freedom Charter and the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa that basic needs such as water were matters of human rights.
"I personally was there when the Nandoni Dam project was conceived, but I remain shocked that our people are not benefiting from the dam," he said. "We thank Mr Benny Boshielo and Thovhele Vho-Rambuda from the Motsepe Foundation for listening and responding. Khatisa section is a peaceful community and that is the reason why we never resorted to burning tyres even when we didn't have water and other services."