Gwanda – Up to 2 000 students are without water at a leading polytechnic in southern Zimbabwe after the state water authority cut off supplies to the town of Gwanda, it was reported on Wednesday.
Ngoni Moyo, the principal of the Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo (JMN) Polytechnic, said the situation was dire – and she too was living without water, according to the state-owned Chronicle.
New campus
“We are in dire straits as over 2 000 students residing at the new college campus are living without water… How are we supposed to handle the situation?” Moyo was quoted as saying.
The Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) cut supplies to Gwanda a staggering two months ago over water bills of up to $10 million.
Gwanda is about 180km from the Beitbridge border post with South Africa.
Water rationing
There was a bid to introduce some water rationing last month, according to Zvishavane-based radio station YaFM, but it was not clear who benefitted from that.
The polytechnic now appears to be among those that will have to close down over disease fears.
This was not the first time students at the JMN polytechnic faced crippling water problems.
In 2014, the Chronicle reported that the institution was faced with closure “owing to serious water shortages.”
News24
