#WaterShare: A downpour of support for Vryheid
On January 26, the campaign was launched during the breakfast show with Darren Maule. ECR also announced it would be partnering up with Gift of the Givers.
Gaining momentum virtually overnight, #WaterShare became the catchphrase on many a local’s lips last week.
It all started when East Coast Radio’s Sky Tshbalala, recently returned to Vryheid to visit his family for a few days.
After spending some time in the drought stricken town, he realised the community was in desperate need of intervention.
Using his ‘powers’ for good, he returned to the ECR offices, and set into motion the #WaterShare drive.
On January 26, the campaign was launched during the breakfast show with Darren Maule. ECR also announced it would be partnering up with Gift of the Givers.
Heeding the call, the Durban community donated more than 360 000 litres of bottled and tanked water at their premises, to be delivered to the small mining town.
Johan Pieters of Champ Marketing and Events was one of the first local businessmen to get involved in the drive.
“We heard East Coast Radio started a project to take water to Vryheid,” explained Mr Pieters. “We contacted our client, Thirsti, a local bottled water company in Normandien, and they immediately donated 5 000 litres of water.”
Establishing a drop-off point at Majuba Lodge and the Newcastle Advertiser offices, he encouraged residents to get involved by donating sealed bottled water or cash.
As the day drew to a close, more than 6 000 litres of water was loaded and ready to be delivered the following day.
The staff at Amajuba Mall and Executive Beds also played their part, and urged the community to drop off water at their respective collection points.
On January 29, the ECR team hosted a special live broadcast from Oxford Lodge in Vryheid.
Mr Pieters, along with journalists from the Newcastle Advertiser, arrived at the lodge while the show was in full swing just after 7am. With dozens of litres on board, the vehicles were, quite literally, bursting at the seams.
No stranger to the pressure of having to speak on air, Mr Pieters again appealed to the community to do their bit.
“It’s important. It’s not just about profits; we need to care about our communities,” he told listeners.
Once the show wrapped for the day, the crews cleared out to their next location, the Klipkerk, where the water would be stored for the time being.
With the help of volunteers, and the pupils of Pionier High School, the water collected in Newcastle was offloaded in a matter of minutes.
En route back to Newcastle, Mr Pieters received word ArcelorMittal’s Steelplant section had collected a 2 500 litres for the Vryheid Provincial Hospital.
Patsy Bansropan and Angelique Prinsloo spearheaded the drive, sending out a mass email to all staff at Newcastle Works.
“Sections donated the water they collected and delivered it to [the] Steelplant. We collected water from businesses, and some went to buy the water and dropped it off.”
Tasked with arranging transportation for ArcelorMittal’s donation, Mr Pieters contacted ER24 Newcastle, who quickly jumped on board. The water was packed and delivered later that day.
On February 1, he received word Transnat Coach Lines had donated a further 7 500 litres; a final drop in the local relief bucket.
The ECR team later announced they would no longer be taking donations, as they had run out of space to store the water.
“Over 1-million litres of water collected during #WaterShare. Thank you KZN for your generous donations and contributions towards the project,” ECR reported on its website.
The Newcastle Advertiser thanked all those who played an active role in rehydrating Vryheid.
