Sunday, July 23, 2017

Return To No Water

I just spent two nights in a small township in the Eastern Cape. As is common in South African townships, there was just one household tap. And it worked. Now back in a major township in the Western Cape, there is again no water at all. None. For a household of (at the moment) ten. Nor does anybody else have any water here. One woman, in desperate need, walked to the fire station half a township away. In the Eastern Cape, people jokingly say: "A better life for all!" (the ANC’s election slogan). Here, in the Western Cape, the government is the opposition DA: "One nation, one future!" OBSERVATION: Perhaps I have seen the future. This wears on one. On me, anyway. Our hosts, however, have been ever cheerful and generous.

POSTSCRIPT: I since found a brief municipal announcement of 1 June 2017: "George Municipality has implemented water restrictions to ensure the water safety of George." This includes the area in which I stayed. Does this account for the water cuts? I don't know, and neither does anyone else I know.

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