Speaking at his first Mayoral Imbizo at Tshisaulu Village, outside of Thohoyandou recently, Tshifhango said: “As the municipality we are going to do all we can to make sure that we provide clean water to all our people. Water is life, and we are aware that some villages are struggling when it comes to water supply. Hence we are saying that we are going to do all we can to make water challenges a thing of the past.”

Thulamela is a local municipality based in Thohoyandou, falling under the Vhembe District Municipality. He pleaded with the residents to preserve the little water they have, as the district is currently experiencing its worst drought.

Supply challenges

Vhembe is currently facing huge water supply challenges despite the municipality having recently opened the multi-million-rand Nandoni Dam. Residents still don’t have enough water, even the villages which are situated next to the dam like Mutoti, Dumasi and Dididi villages are battling.

As the municipality we are going to do all we can to make sure that we provide clean water to all our people. Water is life, and we are aware that some villages are struggling when it comes to water supply.

Tshifhango donated food parcels to four poor families at Tshisaulu village.

“We have identified four families which are living in poor conditions here and we are going to give them food parcels. In the coming few days we are going to begin with the process of building new houses for them, as we are here to better the lives of our people,” he said.

The main aim of the municipal Imbizo was to plan ways to take services to the people. Residents at the gathering were also afforded an opportunity to raise issues of concern.

“I am so happy as I came here having some problems with my identity document and I was helped by the Home Affairs representatives. All I have to do now is to go to their offices in the coming days to finalise the process,” said Masindi Ramufhi (78), a resident of Tshisaulu Village.

Extra help

Other institutions which attended the Imbizo include the University of Venda, the National Youth Development Agency and representatives from the South African Social Security Agency. New mothers were given the opportunity to register their babies with SASSA for child grants.

An edited version of this story appeared on Health24.com.