First death over scarcity of water

COMPETITION over scarce resources is bound to breed conflict and confrontations, says the Institute for Security Studies (ISS).

“In any situation, where there is a scarcity of resources, there will be conflict. People will not want to go for too long without a basic commodity such as water,” says Dr Johan Burger of the ISS.

Burger was speaking following the death of Qiniso Mhlongo, 15, from Nongoma in Zululand, this past weekend after a dispute over water.

Boys from a nearby area had allegedly got into a fight with Qiniso and killed him after a row erupted over water.

This is the first violent death related to a conflict over water that has been recorded since the crisis began.

Police spokesman Brigadier Jay Naicker confirmed the incident. He said two people, one 16 years old and another 25, had been arrested and were expected to appear in court soon.

Burger said the water woes would add fuel to the fires already blazing over service delivery failures in the country, as protests intensified.

“Over the years, there has been an increase year-on-year in protests.

“In 2004/5 there were 660 protests, and in 2014/5, the police statistics show there has been an increase to 2 289, that is a 247 percent increase in protests,” said Burger.

He said that at the current rate, politicians should effectively deal with water shortage problems in the run-up to the local government elections.

“They would not want to be faced with these crises that might cost them the local government elections.”

The Star’s sister paper Isolezwe reported yesterday that Qiniso, from ward 11 in Nongoma, was attacked while trying to protect young girls, including his sister, who were being harassed by boys from ward 12.

The girls had been accused by the boys of polluting water.