Coca Cola steps in to help with water woes

“I am very happy that the Tshikota community is going to have water every day. The community has been suffering for a long time, receiving an erratic water supply, but now Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa (CCBSA) has come to our rescue,” said Tshikota councillor Martha Babadu during the handover of three boreholes drilled by CCBSA.

The Tshikota community has been receiving an irregular water supply for a long time and at times went for weeks without water, resulting in service delivery protests.

CCBSA responded to the needs of the community by supporting the municipality through its Coke-Ville project, constructing three solar-powered borehole systems. The boreholes can pump a maximum of 157 200 litres of water per day.

According to CCBSA, if the water is rationed to 50 litres per person per day, this will be enough for 2 000 families.

CCBSA invested R2,3 million in the implementation of the Tshikota water project. The amount includes a feasibility and baseline assessment, design and planning, authorisation process, equipment and infrastructure and management fees to the implementing partner.

Construction started in October 2019 and was completed in February this year. Each of the three sites has tanks joined to a solar panel that pumps the water into the tanks. All sites are security fenced and monitored.

The community fetches water from the taps installed at the sites. According to Mr Ntsako Baloyi, CCBSA’s project manager, the community is assured of getting water a supply every hour. 

The municipality is the custodian of water and the provision of basic services. The project was handed over to the community and the municipality will be responsible for general maintenance and continuous monitoring of the project.

“Since the system uses solar power, the community will constantly get water even if it is not sunny,” said Baloyi. He added that CCBSA will soon be asking the councillor to identify elderly people in the community and will they help them with water wheelbarrows. 

This is not the only good gesture from CCBSA to the community. At one site, Jeanett Munyai expressed her gratitude. Her house was painted, fenced and provided with a vegetable garden. “I thank God and CCBSA for what they have done to me. I am unemployed and would not be able to do all this to my house,” said Munyai (42).

Date:03 April 2020

By: Bernard Chiguvare

Bernard Chiguvare is a Zimbabwean-born journalist. He writes mainly for the online publication, Groundup.

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