Who and what is AfriForum?

AfriForum is an Afrikaans civil rights organisation that protects the rights of minority groups at national as well as provincial level, and anyone who can identify with AfriForum’s principles and objectives may join the organisation. AfriForum’s community plan focuses on mobilising communities to thus take control of their own streets and neighbourhoods again. AfriForum ensures that your constitutional and civil rights are recognised and protected at national level.

Wie en wat is AfriForum?

AfriForum is ’n Afrikaanse burgerregteorganisasie wat die regte van minderheidsgroepe op sowel nasionale as provinsiale vlak beskerm, en enigiemand wat met AfriForum se beginsels en doelstellings kan identifiseer, mag by die organisasie aansluit. AfriForum se gemeenskapsplan fokus daarop om gemeenskappe te mobiliseer om só weer beheer terug te neem oor hul eie strate en woonbuurtes. AfriForum verseker dat jou grondwetlike én burgerregte op nasionale vlak erken en beskerm word.

President, get your water here tomorrow

AfriForum sends roadmap to emergency water point for the President’s visit to the “bone-dry” Govan Mbeki Municipality

Soundbite: Hennie Bekker (English)

Soundbite: Hennie Bekker (Afrikaans)

President Cyril Ramaphosa may well be shocked tomorrow to witness firsthand the state of decay in the Govan Mbeki Local Municipality, but thanks to AfriForum, he will at least not go thirsty, unlike residents in certain parts of the municipality. Today, on the eve of the President’s visit to this municipality in the Mpumalanga Highveld – where he is set to attend, among other things, the opening of a wind farm outside Bethal – the civil rights organisation sent a roadmap to the local AfriForum emergency water point.

The President is expected to attend the opening of the Ummbila Emoyeni wind farm outside Bethal tomorrow.

Taps in the municipality’s towns ran dry about two weeks ago due to planned maintenance by Rand Water. Since then, the approximately 310 000 residents of towns including Bethal, Secunda, Trichardt, Evander, and Leandra have had to manage without this essential resource.

However, since the water supply to towns within the municipality was cut off on 17 July, AfriForum, in collaboration with farmers in the Bethal area, has helped ensure that residents can access water at the organisation’s emergency water point in the town. Approximately 320 000 litres of water have since been delivered free of charge to this water point and other locations, including schools and care homes.

According to Hennie Bekker, AfriForum’s District Coordinator for the Mpumalanga Highveld, residents of the Govan Mbeki Municipality have been facing persistent water supply challenges for the past at least seven years. In the latest water crisis to hit the municipality, maintenance work undertaken by Rand Water on 17 July caused taps to run dry.

Although the water supply has now been restored in some areas, residents in the municipal seat, Secunda, remain without water. Consequently, certain schools in the town were forced to suspend classes.

Unlike previous instances where the water supply to the municipality was cut off and Bethal was the last to regain access, the town was first in line this time. During yesterday’s municipal council meeting, it was stated that Sasol’s empty reservoirs are the reason Secunda’s taps remain dry and why water was pumped to Bethal first this time – rather than to Secunda, as is usually the case.

However, Bekker believes the President’s visit played a role. “The municipality’s attempts to explain away the water issue are questionable. While Bethal usually draws the short straw when it comes to Rand Water’s supply reductions, the situation is suddenly different now. It is no mere coincidence that this town is suddenly first in line to receive water amidst the ongoing crisis,” Bekker explains further.

“Should the taps in this municipality run dry again – or remain dry – tomorrow, the President and his entourage are welcome to collect water from AfriForum’s emergency water point, just as Bethal’s residents have been doing for the past two weeks or so. He would then see for himself how the Govan Mbeki Municipality fails to fulfil its constitutional obligations and neglects the right to water access for residents in every corner of the municipality,” Bekker concludes.

AfriForum emergency water points bring relief – you can help too

AfriForum’s initiative to establish emergency water points in towns and cities grappling with water shortages took off in 2020. Since then, these points have been set up in dozens of towns and neighbourhoods. AfriForum invites businesses and farmers in the Secunda area to get involved in this initiative and assist in establishing an emergency water point in this town. Contact Bekker (084 905 6415) for more information.

Join AfriForum. Visit www.wordlid.co.za.