As South Africa faces the worst drought in 70 years, a humanitarian organisation has distributed more than 250,000 litres of water to the communities.
Residents from Senekal and Aliwal North in the Free State are the first towns to feel the heat… with both areas not having running water since last month.
Residents of Tambo informal settlement in Senekal in the Free State start queuing for water from 03:00 every morning.
The town has not had running water since December 14. And now even the local shops are running out of bottled water. Shops, restaurants and petrol stations have started putting up “no toilets” signs.
South Africans from all walks have come together to assist, knowing in times of crisis, there is more power in turning to each other, than on each other.
NGO Operation Hydrate & Water Shortage South Africa say they decided to help residents after seeing the devastation of the drought on TV.
Spokesperson Mohammad Bulbulia said, “They decided that on a smallscale they will do something, but it has gone into this magnitude where people are calling in, wanting water.”
He said more people need to get onboard and assist drought ravaged areas and communities.
“They come every day, they stand in the queue for water, by the time it comes, sometimes there’s no water for them. So they come back the next morning and wait again.”
While the municipality has provided 260,000 litres of water to residents, it has not been able to meet demand.
The organisation along with volunteers and corporate companies have dispatched trucks to different areas in Senekal and Aliwal North.
Ermelo, Bethlehem & Newcastle VW are delivering water to drought-stricken Senekal. Contact Dealers to contribute. pic.twitter.com/YXoSMSXauI
— VolkswagenSA (@VolkswagenSA) January 7, 2016
Water arrives at Senekal! Support #OperationHydrate, make a difference! Retweet @Abramjee @ProudlySA @YusufOmarSA pic.twitter.com/erqfInpCCC
— Mango Airlines (@FlyMangoSA) January 8, 2016
Senekal – people lining up for water pic.twitter.com/xO7jKP2F8U
— #OperationHydrate (@HydrateSA) January 9, 2016
#OperationHydrate 2nd load of water offloaded in Senekal. We salute all the awesome people involved! Well done!🇿🇦🇿🇦 pic.twitter.com/apy3mdneQC
— Proudly South African (@ProudlySA) January 8, 2016
#OperationHydrate A second load of water has arrived in Senekal – thanks to generous South Africans. pic.twitter.com/gY8sPiaM8W
— Yusuf Abramjee (@Abramjee) January 8, 2016
Shoprite donated 29920 litres of water to Senekal this morning. https://t.co/5Xa4jGXv9S #OperationHydrate @HydrateSA pic.twitter.com/teEB2dDkUd
— Shoprite SA (@Shoprite_SA) January 9, 2016
#OperationHydrate challenges all corporates to donate. Make a difference. Help South Africa. Pledge now! RT please pic.twitter.com/rHm20NPHEI
— Brent Lindeque (@BrentLindeque) January 8, 2016
To help #OperationHydrate contact M.A. Bulbul on 082 446 1050
Also, Water Shortage South Africa https://www.facebook.com/groups/924585607595490/ is doing an amazing job. They are appealing to anyone (private people, transport / courier companies, etc) travelling from north to south or from south to north to take some water with them, and to drop it off on their way through the various towns. They have even got businesses on their side – donating water / trucks, etc. Amazing what a can happen when someone starts the ball rolling, and others climb on for the ride. I’m a very proud South African at the moment – proud in my fellow South African man / woman, but not so chuffed with the powers that be for not stepping up to the plate when things first started going awry.