Water continues to be a major challenge in rural parts of the Eastern Cape, and communities still fetch water from rivers, which they share with animals. This despite the announcement made in 2014 by former president Jacob Zuma, of the multi-billion rand UMzimvubu Water Catchment Project. The project, which entails the construction of Ntabelanga, Laleni and Mbokazi dams is meant to supply water to thousands of households in OR Tambo, Joe Gqabi and Alfred Nzo districts. But it is yet to get off the ground.