DEAR Editor,-
What could be more essential than water? With this essential service in the hands of those who presently supply it, it places us all at very high risk.
Many are considering finding and drilling boreholes or other means to store water as a contingency measure because Ugu is unreliable and highly likely to drown in their own inefficiencies, pulling us all down with them.
It is sometimes necessary to protest against unfairness and injustices. However, the methods used to protest should not compromise the right to essential services. Last week’s protest was a merciless act, to attain results at any cost. It was also a display of the character and heart of our leaders.
How did the vulnerable such as the frail, sick and ailing people in hospitals and clinics, children and the elderly, cope without water last week? What losses were suffered by businesses and workers and what was the negative effect on tourism?
Section 10 and 11 in our constitution clearly protects the right to human dignity and the right to life, which was blatantly disrespected during last week’s water crisis.
Legal experts are well aware of the laws being broken, armed with specialist knowledge most of us don’t have. They should take centre stage in these matters, but sadly many sit back and do nothing. If legal action is necessary to correct, protect and prevent us from future injustice and suffering, then it is the right thing to do.
The mayors and their leaders are clearly powerless puppets, having no remedy or control over this situation. Or were they playing dirty political games, choosing to remain silent for self-preservation at the expense of the community? Why did they take so long to restore supply or provide alternatives? If push comes to shove, clearly they will leave us in the lurch.
The Bhobhoyi dam is not a proper catchment dam. Water is pumped from the Umzimkhulu River into the dam. The municipality blamed the drought as their reason for water shortages, but there is no major catchment dam to collect rainfall and therefore most is washed into the sea and not collected.
How can the municipality use the drought as their reason for water shortages when they don’t even have a proper system of collecting and storing rainwater?
Is there a long-term budget or even talk of one? Or the building of a proper catchment dam or pipeline from other major storage facilities? Is the long term water supply system being addressed or will we always pump water from the Umzimkhulu River? Until the next water crisis? We need an urgent response from Ugu.
The people must take responsibility, ownership and get involved in addressing and resolving water problems or we will suffer major consequences in the near future because of ignorance, complacency and oversight. Since we don’t get clear, honest answers and explanations from Ugu, the people of the Ugu district need to demand from local, provincial and national government, that a study be conducted and a long-term budget be created to secure future water supply.
As South Africans, we have become numb and complacent to the wrongs being committed. Accepting has become a norm. This type of culture has never worked throughout the history of mankind and will never work – not now or in the long run.
E RANGASAMY
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