Villagers go thirsty

Villagers told The Zimbabwean On Sunday that despite that their area was endowed with vast tracts of diamonds fields they were failing to raise US$5 per family to procure spare parts for broken down boreholes.

They said it was painful that companies contracted to mine the diamonds were not ploughing back in the community but were busy looting and lining their pockets.

A local Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) councillor who declined to be named, said Chiadzwa had a total population of 5 000 people but only three boreholes were working.

We have 21 boreholes which were drilled by NGOs but they are down and need rehabilitation. The companies which are plundering our resources must plough back but its unfortunate that they are Zanu (PF) top officials who are benefiting from the activities here, said the councillor.

The councillor said villagers were walking 20km in search of water while their livestock were starving to death.

The water crisis had also affected operations of local clinics and schools. Children were being forced to bring two litres of water each while relatives who had patients at a local hospital were also required to bring water.

Villagers interviewed complained of lack of concern by the Chinese and Zanu (PF) companies mining in the area, saying the Chiadzwa community should not suffer while they are sitting on precious minerals.

Marange recently experienced cholera outbreak which claimed lives due to lack of clean water for villagers.