Small-scale farmers in water-scarce Limpopo are fighting over the resource by blocking rationed water and diverting it onto their farms.
About 900 farmers in villages in Thohoyandou have exchanged blows over the irrigation water scheme, which gets its water from the Mutale River. The water is pumped from a reservoir and gets channelled onto the farms through canals.
Due to worsening water scarcity, the farmers use the water according to a schedule from 6am to 12pm and from 12pm to 6pm as a way to control the rationing.
However, this system has led to physical fights and altercations among farmers in Matangari, Tshiombo, Mianzwi, Maraxwe, Mbaela and Mutshenzheni villages. Each village has one day in a week to irrigate.
For some villages this irrigation water is what they rely on for drinking and washing laundry.
Due to the scarcity some farmers have become greedy with the irrigation water and bully others even when it is not their time to water crops. They block the irrigation canals that move the water in an attempt to keep water only for themselves.
Nkhelebeni Nndwambi, a farmer in the area and the former chairperson of the Vhembe Macadamia farmers’ cooperative, said the greed is escalating.
“You cannot blame them [farmers] because everyone is fighting for that little drop of water. We fight like ants because our crops need water. There is no crop that can survive on water once a week. Many farmers give up farming. That’s why we plant sweet potatoes all year long because they can survive without water. We are in a crisis,” said Nndwambi.
He said the irrigation canals were built in 1963 and since then, no maintenance has ever taken place.
“We had people called rangers prior to 1994, who were taking care of the water flow from the source to the end user. They were also guarding the infrastructure damage and there were strict regulations to manage the scheme. Nobody could do washing in the canal; it was forbidden. Mainly because of the detergents. The water now is so contaminated that you can’t plough tomatoes and potatoes. Some of the crops are very sensitive,” said Nndwambi.
He said the government is not realistic about the needs of the population growth in these villages, as many unemployed people have turned to agriculture to feed their families.
Edith Thidziambi has been farming maize, sweet potatoes and beans for 15 years in Mianzwi Village. She is a mother of two and her family survives through farming on nearly two hectares.
“When the crops are good and are not impacted by any issues, I make at least R6,000 from the maize in my plot. Some people are greedy; instead of just allowing a little portion of water to go into their crops, they block the whole canal and direct the water to their farms. That’s why people fight,” she said.
One farm worker who did not want to be named said during one of these water fights, he was hit with the back of an axe as he challenged a fellow farmer who was blocking water for himself.
Rambuda Taluli said the water pressure has also become a problem if she ever received it.
“I hate being in the morning session of the water schedule because sometimes I wait here from 6am, but water will only come around 10am. But at 12 noon, I have to shut down and give a turn to the other farmers. Those who are greedy refuse to do this and the fights happen like that. I think if the municipality can help us with controlling this formally and have people who will guard how the water is scheduled, it can be better,” said Taluli.
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