Chitungwiza residents struggling to get water in Zimbabwe have now resorted to hunting the precious commodity in all places even if it means walking for kilometres out of town.
Many people could be seen going out of town with containers others carrying dirty linen in containers and some with truckloads.
News Of The South visited the area out of town in the early hours of Saturday morning and found plenty of women getting water from man made springs.
Elizabeth Muzenda who visited the town from Chinhoyi could not believe what was happening in Chitungwiza.
She said, “Its not like this in Chinhoyi ,we can go without water for two to three days but not for the whole week” “I don’t know how I am going to stay in Chitungwiza for long since I have a newly born baby who needs to be bathed regularly” she continued.
School children could be seen washing their linen in the dug out terrain which is a result of sand exploited in the area.
Truckloads of sand could also be seen coming from that area.
Amai Dunmore was visibly furious when she described how tough it was to stay in Chitungwiza.
“Sometimes we can go as far as 3weeks,”she said.”But we are better than unit L where they have gone for a month without water “.
Amai Dunmore who is a member of one of the apostolic sects said they were forewarned about the water crisis at church so she bought a lot of containers.” When tap water comes I spend the whole night filling containers, “she explained, “in times like this you get upset when you see dirty linen”.
Most residents wonder what the situation will be like in October and November.
For those who are lazy to go hunting and those who spend more time at work there is a commercial side where one buys water at $0,50 per 20 litre container.
Water selling business is now booming around town with shop owners demanding more, especially salons .
In shops one can also hear water vendors asking shopkeepers, “Can we bring you water we have one container left”.
One wonders how these vendors end up with excess water when everyone is in short supply.
Authorities at Chitungwiza town council remain tight lipped about this situation.
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