By Shepherd Masunda
Residents of Whitecliffe-Garikai are grappling with severe water shortages following a prolonged dry spell that has left local wells completely dried up. The community, which comprises nearly 400 households, relies on just two boreholes—one manually operated and the other solar-powered—for its water supply.
Nearby Phase Two, a settlement adjacent to Garikai, also depends on these same boreholes. Both areas were developed under the government’s Garikai/Hlalani Kuhle housing scheme. However, the Zvimba Rural District Council has distanced itself from servicing the area due to unresolved disputes between the government and Pfugari Properties.
Keith Shonhiwa, a resident living near the solar-powered borehole, described the growing desperation
“Access to water has become a serious challenge. People now wake up as early as 4 a.m. just to queue for water. You can hear footsteps outside our house at that hour as residents rush to the borehole.”
George Mazhindu, who lives in Phase Two, echoed the concern saying;“Water scarcity is now a crisis. We walk long distances just to find clean water. It’s affecting my garden and food supply for my siblings. We once raised funds to drill a borehole, but power issues are still holding us back.”
The lack of clean water has heightened the risk of waterborne diseases such as cholera and typhoid fever especially with the rainy season nigh.
