Wines, fruit exports not central needs
DEAR Comrade Ramaphosa,
Please receive correspondence from our offices regarding the water crisis in Cape Town, requesting your urgent consideration. It is going to cause a mayor problem for the entire country.
This crisis is due to the less than adequate management of water in the Western Cape, by all levels of government. The new water situation in the country is causing challenges in many provinces, with the Western Cape, Eastern Cape and the Free State the worst hit at the moment.
The situation in the Western Cape is, however, the most dire, with the management thereof leaving much to be desired.
The water will run out if the rain patterns don’t do something unusual for this time of the year.
The economy will be severely affected, with many jobs being lost due to water supply instability.
The sanitation system is water-based and when the water runs out, the drains will overflow and the spillage will lead to disease and deaths.
The water augmentation measures that are now being pursued by the City will not be ready or meet the extent of the demand when rainwater is exhausted.
The desalination plants are hopelessly behind schedule, the recycling has been historically delayed, the aquifers have not been sustainably explored, the springs and other water sources have not been effectively harvested.
The agricultural sector is still getting millions of litres.
We believe water to agriculture must be stopped for irrigation that is not central to food security.
Only people and livestock should get water now as wines and fruit exports are not central needs. Lumka Tamboer Provincial administrator/gender co-ordinator Cosatu