Residents are feeling the pinch as taps run dry in Limpopo's capital and in its biggest township.

Limpopo resident Avhalendi Netshisaulu did a precarious balancing act carrying a full bucket of water on her head and her 18-month-old child, Mwalusi, on her hip in the streets of Extension 76 in Seshego.

Limpopo's biggest township, just 8km west of the capital Polokwane, is in the grip of chronic water shortages that resulted in residents staging a shutdown early this month.

Netshisaulu and other residents of this sprawling township spend most of their days collecting water from a borehole located on property in Extension 76.

She makes the 1km trip from her home at least three times daily to fill up containers with water. Her older son carries some of it in 25-litre containers on a wheelbarrow, while she carries a 20-litre bucket on her head. "It's a hard life. But what can we do?" she says.

The borehole in Extension 76 was erected by the opposition EFF late in 2023 in response to residents' pleas for help after prolonged water cuts.

A red 5,000-litre tank stands high on the property where it was drilled, overlooking the street where residents who carry different types of containers line up to draw water from two taps.

They bring cash notes to...