Dispute over borehole drilling leaves Plumtree resident frustrated

A villager from Osabeni, Plumtree, Raphael Ngwenya, has expressed frustration with a borehole drilling company, Global Water Drillers, for failing to deliver the contracted services at his homestead.

Ngwenya told CITE that he engaged Global Water Drillers earlier this year, but the company allegedly did not fulfill their agreement.

“This company drilled for me in March. I travelled from Johannesburg to Plumtree, and they drilled 100 meters, but it turned out to be a dry well. I had to return to South Africa to raise more funds. Around June 20, I contacted them to drill again after surveyors identified another site. They arrived on August 31 and began drilling. I communicated with them over the phone, as I was not at home. They indicated that the rock was hard, but I reminded them that three independent surveyors had confirmed the location, and they should drill to 100 meters as per our agreement,” he explained.

Ngwenya claimed that the company only drilled 50 meters and then abandoned the site without fulfilling their contract.

“When I checked with people back home, they told me the drillers left and appeared very drunk. It was difficult to communicate meaningfully with them, especially with their leader, Peter. He told me they only drilled to 50 meters and didn’t think the site was promising,” said Ngwenya.

“I told them that if the site proved unsuitable after 100 meters, we would consult surveyors again. But they couldn’t just stop at 55 meters and declare it unpromising. They promised to return and drill again, and I had already paid them,” he added.

Eventually, Ngwenya decided to hire another company. This new team discovered that only 45 meters had been drilled, not the 50 meters initially claimed by Global Water Drillers.

“On September 22, I informed Global Water Drillers that I had engaged another company. The new team measured the depth and confirmed that only 45 meters had been drilled, not 55 meters as claimed. I informed Global Water Drillers of this discrepancy and requested a refund since I had already paid them. I even asked them to calculate the refund, as their delays had already frustrated me,” Ngwenya said.

Ngwenya’s efforts to secure a refund have been met with delays and evasions.

“They told me my refund would be R13 000 and asked for my bank account number, which I provided. Since then, despite the new company completing their drilling, we’ve been going in circles. They don’t respond to my messages, and they keep me on hold when I call until I eventually hang up. It’s been incredibly frustrating,” he said.

“All I want is the refund they calculated—R13,000. I’m not disputing the amount; I just want us to part ways amicably, but the process has been nothing but frustrating,” Ngwenya concluded.

Global Water Drillers’ Operations Manager, Donald Shumba, explained that the company follows a process to prevent fraud in refund cases.

“They may have dealt with the office in Plumtree, which I might not be directly familiar with. Refund processes take time; people often expect immediate reimbursement, but as an organization, there are procedures we must follow. Investigations need to be conducted to understand why the drilling didn’t reach the agreed depth. Sometimes, our workers may collude with clients to manipulate the system, so we must ensure everything is above board. This is often the reason for delays, especially when dealing with dry wells,” Shumba said.

He assured that Global Water Drillers is committed to providing services and issuing refunds when necessary, though delays may occur.

“If we have requested banking details, it means the refund process is underway. This involves coordination between our offices in South Africa and Plumtree. As a large company, we follow systems to avoid fraudulent activities,” Shumba explained.

He added that Ngwenya could expect his refund within the week. “I’ve checked with the finance team, and the refund is being processed,” he stated.