The relief organisation Gift of the Givers said it was confident that the first borehole drilled in drought-stricken Graaff-Reinet in the Eastern Cape was a success.
The organisation said that when operations resumed on Thursday following the theft of essential tools, which had to be replaced, water was found on Wednesday night.
Spokesperson, Dr Imtiaaz Sooliman, said the team was unperturbed by Tuesday night’s theft, with their drilling expert, identified only as Heinrich, doing a “McGyver” to get them operational again by Wednesday evening.
He said hydrologist Dr Gideon Groenewald then pointed out where to drill and water was found at 69 metres.
“On Thursday, 3 October, we hit 2000L per hour at 108m, explored a little deeper at 120m, and then returned to 108m as the preferred depth,” he said.
Dr Sooliman said they were “now testing the aquifer at 1000L per hour over 20 hours and are very confident that the first borehole we drilled is a success.”
He said drilling will commence at multiple sites in Graaff-Reinet in the days to come.
