More cities in South Africa are likely to run out of water supply due to municipalities’ failure to replace ageing water infrastructure and fix leakages.
Prof. Anthony Turton, a water expert of the University of the Free State’s (UFS) Centre for Environmental Management, has strongly warned that Day Zero would befall more cities due to municipalities’ inability to be proactive.
This comes in the wake of Gqeberha facing Day Zero. Taps in this drought-stricken coastal city are running dry.
“More cities may follow, as Durban is already making use of water shedding and Port Shepstone is teetering on the brink of social unrest over service disruption,” said Turton.
He warned that severe water supply disruptions would further cripple the socio-economy.
“This is a national phenomenon, but with local focal points, as water scarcity is a reality in other South African cities. The water crisis will have a devastating effect on the city’s economy.
“In my opinion, Gqeberga’s local economy will not survive as we once knew it. Should Gqeberha’s taps run dry, it will be the first South African metro to run out of water,” said Turton.
Two years ago the City of Cape Town averted Day Zero by implementing water-saving initiatives.
Turton said Durban was likely to enforce water shedding for at least the next year as it struggled to restore services.
Turton maintained that one of the chief reasons behind the dry taps was lacking political will, further hamstrung by a lack of revenue collection and the payment of debts.
At one point last year the water supply of the Mangaung Metro Municipality was reduced to 30% due to a failure to service its debt of more than R270 million to Bloem Water.
Turton believes the ANC’s policy of cadre deployment is also to blame for the current water problems. Cadre deployment, according to him, has purged all of the technically competent people from the system.
“The country’s water problem can only be resolved if the ANC acknowledges the problem and stops blaming the drought or other factors.
“We need to accept that cadre deployment is a failed policy.
“Water for drinking is small water – only 2 litre per person per day.
“Water for living is medium water – 200 litres per person per day.
“Water for food is big water – 2 000 litres per person per day. We will starve before we die of thirst,” said Turton.
