Communities in Nqanqarhu formerly Maclear, are celebrating a long-awaited lifeline after the Eastern Cape Department of Agriculture delivered critical water infrastructure that now brings clean, safe water directly to households and food gardens.

During an official handover ceremony, Agriculture MEC Nonceba Kontsiwe unveiled the newly completed spring water projects in Sigoga and Saqhuthe villages. The intervention, implemented under the Ilima Lokulima Programme, has provided 26 water points serving 205 households, ending years of hardship for residents who previously walked long distances to fetch water from overgrown and unsafe areas.

For many families, the new infrastructure marks the end of a daily struggle. Ntombizanele Sonkwenye from Sigoga described the transformation as life-changing, recalling how residents often risked their safety when collecting water. Today we are drinking clean and healthy water. We are truly grateful for this support from our government,” she said.

The availability of water is also expected to boost household food production. To strengthen this link, the MEC handed over production inputs including seedlings, fertilizers, and gardening tools, to 120 beneficiaries, enabling farmers to irrigate their crops more efficiently and expand their vegetable gardens.

Residents say the new water system will not only improve daily living conditions but also strengthen local food security. The inputs we received will help us fight poverty, diversify our crops, and feed our families,” said Simthembile Folotyi of Upper Tsitsana.

MEC Kontsiwe said the programme aims to empower rural communities to produce their own food while fostering cohesion and economic resilience. With accessible spring water, people no longer have to fetch irrigation water from distant locations. This will transform agricultural activity in these villages.”

In addition to the water projects, the MEC also handed over 32 industrial sewing machines to 16 women-led enterprises in the Joe Gqabi District, further stimulating local economic development.