Sometimes, you can persuade people to join your cause by lying to them… but if they find out later on, they will, as we say in South Africa, braai you.
But what if you’re trying to win people over by lying so blatantly that everyone can see it?
That’s what our water control authorities – Rand Water and Joburg Water – are doing at the moment as the water crisis in the province spirals even further out of control.
The bitter irony is that, while people’s taps are dry all over the city and the province, our dams are overflowing from above-average rainfall this wet season.
How, then, are these two authorities lying to us?
They are framing the crisis as overuse and waste… by consumers.
The figures cited are that Joburg’s average water consumption is about 300 litres per person per day.
We are supposed to gasp in shock at this when we are told the world average is half that.
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The lie – and it’s a big one – is using overall “consumption” to then accuse citizens of using too much “on average”.
The people and businesses in Joburg – and it’s much the same in other towns and cities across the province – actually only use 60% of the total consumption.
That’s because a shocking 40% goes to waste.
In reality, our average usage, then, is just 180 litres a day.
The rest is squandered through mismanagement, which has seen the water infrastructure allowed to steadily deteriorate since 1994.
Cadre deployed executives and officials at both Rand Water and Joburg Water still get their salaries – and their bonuses – for performances that would get them fired in any well-run private company.
We agree with WaterCAN, the civil society group: Joburg should be declared a national disaster.
And, as part of that, useless heads must roll.
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