NOT so long ago, holiday destination decisions would have been made on product, price and possibly entertainment value.
Not water supply! That was always taken for granted… as was electricity, security and inflated prices.
(Let’s not stray to the ‘dark side’ as load-shedding is highly likely to catch up to you wherever you go in South Africa at the moment.)
However, touch the tap for luck, but the water gods at Ugu don’t anticipate any problems in the Umdoni area this Christmas season.
Alas, the North Coast is not so lucky.
Going by newspaper reports, supermarkets and shops in the Ballito area, stretching right up to St Lucia, are stocking up with massive amounts of bottled water for the season. North Coast water supplies are ‘dangerously low’ and the area is gearing up for a dry season.
The bottled water (and beer, of course) might solve the drinking problem, but imagine going on holiday and not knowing if you will be able to take a shower or flush the toilet!
We should sympathise, of course, but it is worth pointing out that the North Coast’s dilemma might just be our good fortune this season.
Anyway, local holiday establishments are up-beat about the prospects of a bumper Christmas and New Year, especially as Umdoni Municipality seems keen to ensure everything runs smoothly.
For once there was no fighting or bickering at a recently council meeting as the DA’s Eddie Baptie tabled a plan to allow the near empty beach Pavilion to be used for temporary pop-up shops for the season.
Hopefully these shops will be interesting, will offer holidaymakers real value and not be just some arbitrary outlet for cheap Chinese trinkets.
One can find this sort of concept at world destinations like Singapore, Sydney and Melbourne where there is a collection of stalls or shops, all run by individuals and not franchises, offering a unique array of goods and food.
If this concept is well planned, there might well be no reason for Umdoni to fight over leases any longer.
