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Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Chronicle Reporter
THE District Development Fund (DDF) is drilling boreholes for chiefs in Matabeleland South Province as part of efforts to recognise the traditional leaders and ensure that surrounding communities have improved access to water.

In dry areas, DDF will install piped water schemes.

The province has 30 chiefs and so far DDF has drilled boreholes for 16 chiefs.

The boreholes that are being drilled at chief’s homestead can also be accessed by community members.

In an interview DDF Matabeleland South provincial coordinator, Mr Moment Malandu said the programme was ongoing.

He said they were facing challenges in some areas that were dry.

Mr Malandu said in such areas they will install piped water schemes.

“As DDF we are running a programme where we are drilling boreholes for all chiefs in the province.

The chiefs are the leaders of the community and hence we want to honour them.

At the same time communities will also benefit from this programme as they will also have access to the boreholes,” he said.

“We have so far successfully drilled 16 wet boreholes and 14 chiefs are still remaining.

There are some areas where we drilled boreholes like in Bulilima but part of the area is generally dry the boreholes turned out dry.

So in such areas we will install piped water schemes.

Villages along the way will also benefit and they will be able to start garden projects.”

Mr Malandu said the DDF was also conducting routine borehole maintenance in various communities and doing maintenance works on roads leading to chiefs’ homesteads.

Chief Kandana from Bulilima District who now has a borehole at his homestead said the programme was a noble idea as it also benefited the community.

“We thank Government through DDF for this noble idea.

It shows that Government recognises us as chiefs and is concerned with our living conditions.

At the same time people are also benefitting as it means there is an additional water source in the area.

Water points are really a challenge as people have to walk along distances.

An additional water point brings relief to many households,” he said.

Chief Masendu also from Bulilima District said the DDF programme reached his homestead but the borehole turned out dry. He said their area was generally dry.

Chief Masendu said DDF was set to install piped water which would bring even more relief to the community.

–@DubeMatutu