Tempers rise as Gwanda boy drowns fending for water

Gwanda is this morning reaching boiling point as a twelve year old child has died while fetching water from Mtshabezi river following another weekend without water in the town.

Sources in Gwanda revealed that a twelve year old Mount Cazalet pupil fell into the river on Sunday afternoon while fetching water for laundry with his mother. The body of the child spent the night under water and only brought to surface by the police subaqua unit on Monday mid morning.

Angry residents who spent the night camped on the banks of the river with members of the family expressed anger at the local Council for failing to provide the town with water forcing people to use alternative sources of water including the dangerous river.

Gwanda town is faced with acute water shortages as a result of a continued feud between Council and ZINWA on an outstanding amount of money ZINWA is owed by Council.

Gwanda police last week stopped a residents demonstration on the water problems at the last minute. Following the death of the young boy the residents are threatening going on an unsanctioned demonstration as they claim that the situation has got out of hand.

Last year a police officer drowned and died in the same river while taking a bath following another water cut off in the town by ZINWA.

Comment could not be obtained from residents representatives and the police.