The much-anticipated Water Lekgotla was successfully held on Monday, 27 October 2025, at Thulamahashe Community Hall, where government, community leaders and residents gathered to confront the urgent and worsening water crisis in Bushbuckridge.

More than 40% of water produced for residents is lost before reaching households, schools and businesses. While infrastructure breakdown, burst pipes and ageing systems remain major contributors, community-related issues such as illegal connections, unreported leaks and the careless use of water continue to deepen the crisis.

Residents from various areas attended, including those from Thulamahashe and New Forest, who shared the harsh reality of daily water struggles. Many New Forest households receive water only once a week, on Wednesdays, and residents queue along the main road to fill containers. Some walk more than 5km to access water, often pushing wheelbarrows or carrying heavy buckets in the scorching sun.

Thulamahashe resident Nomsa Magagula expressed frustration, saying, “We report leaks and burst pipes, but nothing gets fixed for weeks. We are losing water every day while families are without a drop to drink.”

A New Forest community member, Sibusiso Nkuna, added, “We can’t survive on water once a week. Some of us walk long distances just to fill a bucket. It feels like we are forgotten.”

Speaking at the event, the Executive Mayor of Ehlanzeni District said the government must urgently rethink reliance on water tanks. “Government must stop water tanks. The problem we are faced with today is the issue of water tanks — people go around selling water. Some of the same people selling water are the ones who destroy water infrastructure so that they get business with their water tanks. The Constitution says water is life; every citizen must have clean water, and that does not mean we should sell water to people. The Constitution says we must give people clean water. Water problems started with the water tanks.”