Tsumeb picks itself up after water crisis, rainstorm

WATER flow has returned to normal in Tsumeb after a week of low water pressure in some parts of the town.

A week ago, the town’s water pump station experienced technical problems that resulted in a significant drop in water pressure in parts of the town, while other areas had no water supply at all.

“We are okay now because we received assistance from Dundee Precious Metal. They gave us a motor while we are waiting for ours to arrive,” said the mayor of Tsumeb, Matheus Hangula.

Hangula added that during the restoration process, the technical team found that at least two other motors were dysfunctional.

“Dundee gave us one and, as a result, we managed to reconnect at least two boreholes. This afternoon (30 Jan), I went to inspect the reservoir and at least most of the dams are now full. The biggest dam is standing at 60% capacity,” he said.

The town council is still waiting for the motors and a water pump that was ordered from South Africa last week. Hangula explained that the delay in delivery was “ because the motors are not readily available in stock. They have to be assembled as per the specification of our pump station”.

Water-dependent activities in the town, such as car wash and gardening, have resumed.

Council continues to monitor the situation, the mayor said.

Meanwhile, Tsumeb has returned to normalcy after Monday’s heavy storm that was accompanied by strong winds and lightning, which left a trail of destruction in the town.

“The municipality’s emergency unit has cleaned up 70% of the trees that were uprooted. People have also started to fix their houses. We are sitting with one problem only and that is the big old tree at Endobo compound. We have requested Dundee to assist with a crane, which will be availed tomorrow,” said the mayor. Families whose flats were damaged by the falling trees at the Endobo compound will, unfortunately, have to wait for the owner to fix the property.

“Those families are currently being hosted in the hall in the compound until their houses are fixed by the owner. I have also shared the assessment report with the stakeholders in the town, but we are still appealing to Good Samaritans to assist affected low-income earners in our community, whose roof sheets were blown away. The assessment report is available to the public at the municipality’s office,” said Hangula.

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