Ngobi - Participating in the Comrades Marathon had to take a backseat when Mmatsheko Pine learnt that President Jacob Zuma would visit her village on Saturday.
"I'm so overwhelmed and happy," said Pine from Ngobi village, which falls under the Moretele local municipality in the North West province.
President Zuma visited the village following an e-mail she had written in February.
In it, she said: "There is an area called Ngobi near Hammanskraal, under Moretele local municipality. The people residing in the area are now old, aged and mostly sick. The area has been without water for the past two years. People rely on rain to harvest water.
"There are water pipes and machines installed but the problem is said to be pressure to pump water. Could your office kindly assist with the powers that be?"
During his visit to Pine's home, Zuma described Pine, an employee at the Department of Human Settlements, as a brave citizen.
"We wish we could have more [citizens] like you," said Zuma.
Arriving at the home, the President did not waste time in asking about Pine's family, to which she replied she had three other siblings, two of whom were at work.
Zuma and Pine's elderly father, Amos, discussed issues related to service delivery. The President assured him that there would be water at all times in his yard.
Pine would've participated in the 87th Comrades on Sunday for the first time.
"I wrote the email on behalf of my community and so I had to cancel my hotel reservations and registration for the marathon. I was supposed to be running tomorrow [Sunday]," she said.
The marathon attracts athletes from around the world to partake in the approximately 90km race between the cities of Pietermaritzburg and Durban.
"I appreciate the President's visit, it means so much to our community," she said.
The President and a delegation of several Cabinet ministers -- including the Ministers of Energy Dipuo Peters; Water and Environmental Affairs Edna Molewa and Higher Education and Training Blade Nzimande -- visited Gaseitsiwe High School to hand over a mobile science laboratory donated by Kusile Laboratories and Technology.
The President and ministers were treated to two science experiments on the mobile lab.
Tsholanang Mpshane (19), a pupil at the school, said she was glad to see the President, adding that she would like to see government help the area access water.
Later in the day at the community meeting, the President announced that the area's 11 boreholes had been properly serviced and were now able to provide water. This in addition to another 10 boreholes that had been constructed in the area.
The construction of 2.5MI water reservoir has already started in the area as part of the Ngobi Water Project, which also involves the electrification of boreholes and construction of pump stations.
