Drought and poor control of boreholes add to crisis

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A devastating drought and dwindling water resources, coupled with poor management of boreholes, threaten the country’s underground water.

Desperate farmers are drilling boreholes to extreme depths, some beyond 500m. But water and borehole experts say these depths are excessive, with the average extent varying between 60m and 150m.

African Farmers Association president Mike Mlengana said: "We have farmers drilling beyond 500m … and that is on Gauteng’s East and West Rand. They hit water, but if they are lucky it lasts two days, then it dries up. The levels being drilled are unprecedented."