Heroes emerge in Chatsworth water crisis

Pump stations have not been working in Chatsworth leaving thousands of people without water for a week.

Pump stations have not been working in Chatsworth leaving thousands of people without water for a week.

Published Jan 16, 2021

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TECHNOLOGICAL advances have ensured that, for many of us, anyway, when we need water, all we need do is apply a little pressure on one of the many taps in our homes and the precious but taken-for-granted liquid flows.

We don't stop to think of how fortunate we are to have clean, running water readily available, until, of course, we turn the tap and nothing drops.

This was the situation for residents of Chatsworth, many of whom had no water for about a week beginning last Friday.

However, as we saw during the hard lockdown last year, when many were out of work and unable to put food on the table, heroes emerged from our midst to ease the plight of those affected.

With the municipality's resources stretched, it is difficult to say what would have happened without people like Bilal Khan, Ravi Padayachee, Mahendra Lillkant and Kugen Govender stepping up to the plate to ensure people were hydrated in a week of searing temperatures.

"How can you sleep when people don't have water?" This was Khan describing responding to pleas for water in the middle of the night.

We need to see more of this spirit of caring; none of us should feel comfortable while others are deprived.

Now if we could all just band together in the same vein and, to save the health and lives of family and friends, continue observing the rules, we'd have this second wave of infections licked. Come on people, folks are dying.

Wear a mask, sanitise regularly, don't go out unless it's absolutely necessary, and if you do, maintain safe distances from others.

The Independent on Saturday

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Health WelfareCovid-19