This is a health hazard – Phondo MP
- This is a health hazard.
MANKAYANE
These were the sentiments made by the Phondo Member of Parliament (MP) Bonginkosi Dube as he appealed to government for health and development interventions for the people of Ekhabonina Chiefdom.
Dube, the same MP who requested from His Majesty King Mswati III to have the King’s Birthday hosted at Mankayane, said that there was no telling what the people of Ekhabonina have been poisoning themselves with over the years by using the water.
Dube said that the issue of the water has always troubled him since he was a child.
He said that he was from the area and has been the one who spearheaded for the water quality inspection to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy.
Dube said for the study to be conducted, he had it in him that the cavities and rotting of teeth issue had to be caused by consuming the water from Manzana.
He said he was not aware however that even Madwahane also had the same issues.
Hire
Dube said he decided not to use the water himself, hence he bought a water tank and would hire services for it to be periodically refilled.
When asked whether the water made him sick, Dube said he had always had a reaction after bathing or drinking the water.
He said he now prefers either fetching the water from other places with containers or buying still waster from the shops for drinking than to use the water at Ekhabonina.
Dube said he could not then encourage the people to use the water that he himself gets sick from.
He then said after the quality checks were done on the water, he called a community meeting to tell the people of the ministry’s findings on their water.
He said the experts recommended that the people must stop consuming the water.
However, he said, this was futile because there was no other source of water.
Dube said the people are forced to share the water with animals, including cattle, appealing to the government with emergency response to their plight.
Access
The MP recommended that water tanks be placed across the area to enable access to clean water.
He also requested for further health inspections of people, stating that there have been other reports of people being treated for diarrhoea.
Dube said it was not only water, but Ekhabonina was falling behind in many aspects of development.
He also said that the community does not have a school or a clinic but people have to walk long distances to get health services.
Dube also said that he intends to tap into the Rural Development Fund and other funds for the development of the area.