Energy and chemicals group Sasol in June handed three boreholes over to the Metsimaholo local municipality and Free State Department of Health to improve water security in the Deneysville area of the Free State.

The boreholes were drilled at the Refengkgotso Community Centre, the Sports Centre and the Deneysville Clinic, with each of these being equipped with solar and a water filtration system and certified as being safe to drink.

Owing to population growth and the escalating demands for water, the need to ensure reliable and sustainable water supply becomes increasingly crucial. Sasol’s mitigation strategy for sustainable water provision was through the drilling of these three boreholes.

Sasol Community Affairs head Thuli Mbuli, at the time, noted that the company realises that the assurance of water supply for the future is not a problem unique to South Africa, but certainly a serious concern to many people living in the communities around Sasol’s operations in Metsimaholo. She added that water is required to sustain life, but also plays an important role in keeping people safe as it is used for personal and food hygiene.

“These boreholes are critical for the socioeconomic success of our fence-line communities. As our commitment to our communities and the environment, we are handing over the water boreholes to empower the communities with self-sufficiency and independence,” Mbuli explained.

“It is important for Sasol to be a catalyst for social change. Clean water is essential for fighting poverty because it improves health and supports sustainable development. One of the ways we can achieve this is by creating positive and measurable socioeconomic impact, responding to key societal challenges in the communities where Sasol operates,” Mbuli stressed.

The water security project is aligned with Sasol’s social investment approach, which is underpinned by focus areas that include health service infrastructure, environment, quality education and skills development, as well as the Sasol For Good programme that incorporates skilled volunteering and employee giving, non-government organisation capacity building, community support, philanthropy and community development.