South Africa Day Zero Water Crisis – An Interview


PORT ELIZABETH, South Africa – The world has been watching as Cape Town and other cities in South Africa have been preparing for Day Zero, the day when their public supply of potable water will no longer be available. Amid the preparations, residents are taking mandated precautions to avoid the impending disaster. Many are praying for divine intervention as South Africa endures the longest drought in its history.

Circle of Water’s latest update says, “Farmers in South Africa’s Western Cape province have had to trim water use by 60%, and as a result, agricultural production is expected to be down 20% this year. Wheat production has been the hardest hit – it may be half of last year’s harvest, forcing wheat imports to double. The drought will reduce exports of apples, pears and grapes, and the lack of rain will continue to put stress on the Western Cape’s renowned wine industry. Officials in South Africa are hoping to make their water last until the rainy season, while fine-tuning conservation to better manage water for the future.”

We reached out to Andre Barnard, the Gospel for Asia (SA) representative in Port Elizabeth, for a first-hand look at the situation. Following are excerpts from our conversation:

GFA: Given the size of Cape Town it seems to be getting the most publicity about Day Zero. How is the crisis affecting the Eastern Cape and Port Elizabeth?


Recently an Eastern Cape farmer said to me: “I have been farming for 50 years and have never seen a sheep’s lips bleeding because of trying to get to grass between rocks.”

An article from the Port Elizabeth Herald, a local newspaper, said the following about farmers in the Eastern Cape: “They have already reduced their livestock numbers drastically – even slaughtering their breeding flocks and herds.” Several smaller towns have no water at all.

GFA: What restrictions are in place on water usage?

André: Water restrictions and increased fees for excess water usage are in force to reduce usage. Port Elizabeth residents are asked to use only 60 liters (15.8 gallons) of water per person per day. (The average shower uses 22 liters of water per minute.) We currently are allowed 60 liters per person per day. Any usage above this is charged at much higher rates.

GFA: How are citizens taking the shortage?

André: The majority are very good and are doing their best to save as much water as possible. Many people have installed water reservoirs/tanks to collect rain water from their roofs.

GFA: How do they feel about the restrictions?

André: People do not like restrictions, but it’s something we just have to accept.

GFA: Do the local Christians have a different perspective than others on the situation?

André: Yes, Christians do have a completely different perspective. We know and acknowledge that God is in control, that He is the maker and giver of rain. I believe only God can create life and only God can create life-saving water.

GFA: Are you aware of any people for whom the shortage is currently a hardship?

André: The irrigation farms in Hankey, Patensie, and the Gamtoos Valley are facing huge problems because of the low water level in the Kouga Dam which is a major source of water for irrigation

GFA: Is there a sense of panic?

André: Oh yes, I have seen photos of people stock piling drinking water.

Cape Town / South Africa – January 25, 2018: Lines of people waiting to collect natural spring water for drinking in Newlands in the drought in Cape Town South Africa

GFA: Other than a dwindling supply of water, how else is the drought affecting daily life?

André: I think it has forced people to become more aware of their natural environment and the importance of conserving and protecting the water resources given to them by God. More people are acknowledging God as the only hope we have for rain.


Click here, to read more about this article.

Click here, to read more blogs on Patheos from Gospel for Asia.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Generational Poverty: A Cycle Not Worth Repeating

Image
The cycle of generational poverty can seem impossible to break. Children inherit what their parents teach and show them. a joint report from Ascend: The Aspen Institute and Bernard van Leer Foundation affirms this. “What young children learn from the adults who raise and care for them lays the foundation for future social, emotional, language, and cognitive growth,” the report says. 1 Children raised in a generational poverty mindset often lack the tools they need to succeed or achieve a better life than that of their parents. As adults, these individuals often then raise their children in poverty similar to that of their own childhoods, and the cycle perpetuates. It’s a cycle not worth repeating, yet it does time and time again. For the 736 million people worldwide living below the poverty line, earning $1.90 a day or less, the focus is frequently on mere survival. 2 Children are disproportionately affected by extreme poverty, says UNICEF, as “children who grow up impoverished often...
Read more

What Is the Poverty Cycle?

Image
The question, “What is the poverty cycle, or cycle of poverty?” is one that must be answered to address and end poverty across the globe. Put simply, the term refers to the trend where the vicious effects of poverty and deprivation pass from one generation to the next, with no seeming way out. [1] Someone born into poverty has fewer opportunities than their wealthier peers. They must focus on survival above all, leaving little room for anything else. One illness can wipe out a family’s savings, but the unclean water sources and lack of protection available to them invite sickness. Walking to retrieve water can be time-consuming yet must be a daily priority, and many children must work alongside their parents for the family to afford food. Thus, school is often a far-off dream. Having had few opportunities to acquire skills, the kids grow up to repeat the cycle of poverty with their own children. This story was all too familiar for Nalah. His father worked in the tea fields, trying to e...
Read more

What Do I Need to Know about the Global Poverty Rate?

Image
Statisticians are getting better at measuring the global poverty rate every year. The World Bank is one group working hard to accurately measure it so that the extent of the problem is fully known and so that progress can be measured. [1] Through governments and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), we can more clearly see the last decade of progress and the most recent effects driving poverty rates. Sub-Saharan Africa has been one area difficult to measure, but new data shows an overall reduction in the percentage of those in poverty. Unfortunately, there is an increase in total number of people living at or below the official poverty rate of $1.90 per day. [2] That doesn’t mean that all hope is lost. With good statistics and a clear view of the problem, countries and organizations can use the proven methods to regain any ground lost. Additionally, valuable lessons have been learned about how to protect the most vulnerable and how to prevent some of the worst effects. GFA World is un...
Read more