A debt of over 1.5 million meticais led Electricidade de Moçambique (EDM) to cut off the electricity supply to the water supply system in the town of Goba, Namaacha district, Maputo province.

EDM's decision has prevented more than 2,000 inhabitants of the region from having access to piped water for more than three months. To get around the situation, residents have no choice but to resort to the Umbeluzi River, against all the risks of crocodile attacks.

One resident interviewed by Radio Mozambique said that there was no other solution to having water for consumption than "giving it to the crocodiles".

"We're going to the river, there's no way, knowing that there are crocodiles there, but we have to go to the river. We have a supply system there that no longer supplies water to the village of Goba. So we have to run to the river, get water, wash our clothes there.... and the issue of water in Goba is very challenging. We've even bought water in tanks," said the source.

According to the Namaacha Administrator, the water supply system in question was under the tutelage of a private manager who, by transferring management to the local government, also transferred the debt to EDM.

However, according to Carlos Mourinho, debt negotiations are underway with EDM to put an end to the population's suffering.

"We managed to solve the problem and the debt will be written off depending on the water supply. EDM is going to install the prepaid system, Credelec, and the debt with the company that is managing the system will be written off," he said, predicting that the situation will normalize in the coming weeks.