Kuruman, Northern Cape — For over four years, residents of Seven Mile Village in the Ga-Segonyana Municipality, Northern Cape, have been living in waterlogged homes, with little to no assistance from local government authorities or nearby mining companies.
They say despite promises and even reported funds allocated for disaster relief, community members say the crisis continues to worsen.
In a series of interviews with African Times, local residents shared the devastating impact the flooding has had on their lives, homes, and health.
“We are living in the water,” said Christopher Keehang, a resident of Seven Mile Village. “We can’t even afford to remove our furniture or leave the area. We have tried to get help from the municipality and the mines, but no one is responding.”
Keehang said that the flooding began in 2020 and has since become an ongoing problem during the rainy seasons. He explained that a large amount of money—over R10 million—was reportedly allocated for water-related issues in the village, but no meaningful action was taken. “They ate the money,” he said. “They failed to help us even with less than a million to remove the water.”
Frogs in floodwater and children missing school
Another community member, Kedibonye Kopeledi, said the flooding has made daily life nearly impossible. “We are stuck. There are frogs in the water everywhere. Our children suffer to go to school,” he told African Times. “We even tried to help each other with food, but the situation is too big for us alone.”
Kopeledi said that disaster management teams visited the area but did not provide lasting solutions. “They came, but nothing changed. There’s still an old man trapped in his house, and no one has come to help him,” he added.
Access to clean water and basic needs remains dire
Another resident shared the physical toll the crisis has taken on his life. “I walk 500 meters through knee-deep water just to reach my house,” he explained. “Our water tanks are submerged. We can’t use them. We’re buying bottled water to cook and drink, which is expensive and not sustainable.”
The resident also claimed that promises from the municipality, including the delivery of a larger water pump, have gone unfulfilled. “They said a machine is coming. That was in 2020. We still haven’t seen it,” he said.
A community’s proposed solution ignored
According to JK Ntho, the village committee chairperson and head of the local disaster response team, the community even proposed a feasible long-term solution: “We offered space in our yards to build trenches and drainage systems to redirect the water to the river. We suggested digging a large, cemented hole and using a pump with pipes to remove the water. But the municipality rejected our plan.”
Ntho added that a local mine once attempted to help but pulled out after discovering that previous donations to the municipality were mismanaged. “They wanted to work directly with us, but the mayor refused. He wanted cash instead,” Ntho claimed.
“We feel abandoned by our government”
The overwhelming sentiment from the community is one of abandonment and frustration. “The mayor doesn’t care,” said one resident. “Maybe he will remember us when it’s time to vote again.”
As of now, families are still living in flooded homes with no security, no proper shelter, and little to no access to clean drinking water or sanitation. Many have lost their belongings, vehicles, and even homes.
“We have suffered too much. We just need someone to listen and act,” Keehang pleaded. “This is not just a small issue. It is a disaster.”
Attempts to reach the Ga-Segonyana Municipality and Kumba Mine for official responses proved unsuccessful. Their comments would be added as soon as they are reached.
