When Thembinkosi Butelezi, Retail Clerk at Agrimark Bergville, talks about water, his voice carries deep emotion. For years, he and his family struggled with unreliable access to water – a challenge that tested their resilience and hope.
“We don’t have water here in Acton Homes in Bergville,” he explains. “The municipality tries to supply us, but it’s not available every day. Sometimes it’s only for an hour or two, and then it’s gone again. There were times when my neighbours had water, but I didn’t get any for months on end.”
Daily tasks like cooking, washing, and doing laundry became exhausting. Every morning, Thembinkosi would wake around 4 am, drive three to four kilometres, and wait in long queues at a municipal water point just to fill containers. By the time he had returned home, washed quickly, and left for work, he was already exhausted. The irregular water schedule often left the community without water for months, causing discontent that sometimes resulted in unrest, and making life more challenging for all in the area.
Desperate for a solution, Thembinkosi turned to the KAL Trust. Initially applying for a home improvement loan, he realised water was a higher priority. “Water is essential for everything in life; even building a home depends on it,” he says.
Thembinkosi Butelezi at the shut-off valve of the newly installed borehole that delivers reliable water to his home.
Through the Trust’s interest-free home loan offering, Thembinkosi was able to install a borehole at his home in October last year, a solution that he describes as life-changing. “When my application was approved, my family was overjoyed. The day the contractors came to drill, my daughter sent me a message saying, ‘Thank you so much. We’ve been struggling for so many years.’”
“What started as a request for help has become an inspiring example of how sustainable access to water can restore dignity and transform lives,” says Barend Sulvester, Senior Manager: Sustainability. “Through benefits like interest-free home loans, the KAL Trust empowers our people to create real, lasting change for themselves and their families.”
Today, Thembinkosi’s home has consistent access to clean water. “I used to carry six 20-litre containers in my car. Now, I don’t have to. My family is so happy. We even installed a booster pump so water runs straight into the house. Everything is working beautifully.”
The borehole has strengthened community ties and reignited Thembinkosi’s passion for gardening. “I share water with my neighbours, who fill their small tanks from my JoJo tank whenever they need it. After work, I head straight to the garden, where I grow vegetables and flowers. My yard is now full of life, and I share the vegetables with members of my church who are struggling. It brings me great joy to help others.”
Trucks and workers on site during the borehole installation.
With reliable water, he is now planning to complete his home, install a geyser, finish his bathroom, and fit proper plumbing. “It’s all coming together slowly,” he says with a smile. “I’m so thankful to the KAL Trust for helping me. I want my colleagues to know that water is the source of life, and the Trust truly gave us life again.”
“The Trust is a powerful enabler of growth and wellbeing and a pillar of our unique employee value proposition,” says Tasneem Sulaiman-Bray, Director: Corporate Affairs. “By providing access to education and supporting home improvements, including access to resources like water, we help our people build stability and resilience. Thembinkosi’s story shows how the Trust translates our purpose into action, driving growth and improving quality of life while leaving communities better off.”