Gift of the Givers ends Beaufort West water relief operation

Gift of the Givers has ended its emergency water-relief operation in Beaufort West after the municipality installed temporary pipes to restore running water across the town.

The organisation said its team would withdraw on Saturday after delivering more than one million litres of water since arriving on 6 September.

Beaufort West’s water infrastructure was severely damaged when the Gamka Dam overflowed after heavy rain earlier this month. Municipal officials said flooding destroyed most pipelines and affected at least 10 neighbourhoods.

Temporary pipes restore supply

Acting municipal manager Frans Sabbat said the most serious damage was to a 600mm main pipe serving a large part of the community.

Municipal teams and neighbouring local authorities used tankers to supply residents while repairs were under way. Gift of the Givers also distributed bottled water and placed container tanks at strategic locations.

The aid organisation said it could withdraw because temporary infrastructure was supplying the whole town with running water. Schools, hospitals, clinics and old-age homes were among the institutions that received bottled water during the response.

The temporary repairs restore access but do not amount to the full reconstruction of the damaged system. The municipality had not announced a final repair cost or completion date for permanent works in the information reviewed by EBNewsDaily.

Residents should continue reporting local low-pressure or supply problems to the municipality while the network is stabilised.