Morning Mirror Edition 257 - 25/9/2007




In this edition

Smalls



A DEADLY WATER CRISIS IN BULAWAYO !



I do not think anyone can really understand the seriousness of Bulawayo's water problems, until they see for themselves one of the queues at the water bowsers, like the one in Emakandeni on Saturday.

We drove past an Ingwebu Bowser at 2 p.m. The queue snaked across the bare sandy soccer field, like a lazy boa constrictor. Women, men and children were walking towards the field from every which way. Hundreds of them, thousands of them. Each carrying as large a bucket as one could possibly carry.

Ingwebu Breweries was once a popular Bulawayo City Council beer outlet. The Council boasted a number of Beer Tankers which would deliver copious quantities of the popular thick rich potent liquid to beer halls across the city.

Now the tankers carry something much more precious, - water - destined for the City's high density suburbs, where there is no water at all, for days on end.

Beer sales have come to an end, largely because the people can no longer afford this luxury but mainly because the City's five supply dams have all but dried up, and without the bowser water deliveries, people would simply die of thirst.

Bulawayo has a population of one and a half million people. It is not a rural village, it is a large sophisticated industrial, city with sophisticated water needs.

It is possibly a blessing that the City's industry and economy is virtually at a standstill since the price freeze two months ago, as there is not enough water to quench the thirst of the people, let alone quench any sort of heavy industrial thirst.

Water supplies have dried up to twice a week in the eastern suburbs, to almost a trickle in other suburbs like Tshabalala where bore-holes have been drilled by the European Union, and pumps have been installed. However water supplies are just non existent in suburbs like Emakandeni, Nketa, and Nkulumane.

On our way back past the Ingwebu Bowser some three hours later, we saw the most incredible sight. The bowser had gone for re-filling, but there snaking across the dusty playing field, like a giant anaconda, was a bucket snake. A solemn queue of buckets, placed neatly in line, like tiny round colourful cars in a fuel queue.

There must be honour amongst buckets as few of them were manned, over a kilometre of blue, yellow, red and green buckets, waiting patiently, neatly, thirstily for the Ingwebu Bowser.

The line at the Tshabalala pumps were as long if not longer. Swarms of children would happily volunteer to man the pumps ....... up down up down, water gushing into buckets, containers, drums and pots. The line of women swaying with that elegant balancing gait, to and from the pumps was endless, disappearing into the distance, as the pumps are few and far between.....

I wondered sadly, as I drove back to my haven in the Eastern Suburbs, where our borehole is prolific if unpalatable, if the water from the bowsers tasted of beer ?

I also wondered how these folk were managing to flush their toilets..... . The majority of the people of the City of Bulawayo live in the western areas where there is no water at all coming out of the taps, and none at all to flush down the sewers ......

Twenty litres per family per day, for drinking, bathing, washing, and cooking is surely hardly enough to maintain even the slightest semblance of hygiene.

Our life expectancy has dropped sharply since "Independence" from 65 to 39 years !!

Can you imagine the awful, terrible havoc this lack of water is going to cause amongst a people already weakened by HIV AIDS, lack of proper nutrition, and right now. lack of food of any sort at all, since the government crackdown on prices.?


CONGRATULATIONS



King
Congratulations to Adrian and Debbie on the Birth of their beautiful daughter Erin!!
With Love
Drew and Karly

Adrian and Debbie King are proud to announce the early arrival of their baby girl Erin on the 14th of September.

Congratulations Adrian and Debbie on the birth of your beautiful little baby girl Erin. Our first grandchild!!
with much love from proud Gran and Grandpa Bussmann



HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOHN BREBNER !!

WITH LOVE FROM RICK AND MAGGIE AND ALL AT ACOL


CONDOLENCES

Our Condolences go to the families of




SYMPATHY MESSAGES


KADEY LEN
Passed away in Cape Town 17TH September. A man of immense integrity and honour, gone to rest. You will be sorely missed Len. Our deepest sympathies to Avril, Jacqui, Gavin and Families.
Rob & Nikki Jones

Jones Sandra
Passed away peacefully on Tues 11th Sept. The funeral will be held on Monday 24th Sept at 10am at the Bulawayo Baptist Church.

Jones Sandra
My Beloved Wife,A Woman Who Loved Well And Is Well Loved. Gone To Be With Her Lord And Saviour. Will Meet Again.
Your Loving Husband,
Deryck

Jones Sandra
Mom
Your Love And Direction Have Helped Me More Than You'll Ever Know. Without Your Love Mother,My Life Would Not Have Been Complete,Because You Taught Me The Meaning Of Love. Thank You,We Love You,Rest Peacefully In God's Arms.
Lots Of Love
Drew,Karly,Jacquie, Floyd,Daniel and Adrian

Jones Sandra
Granny (Ganny)
We Only Knew You For A Short Time,But Knew How Much You Loved Us,We Will Miss You So Very Much.
Love
Brandon And Lee

Jones Sandra
Our deepest sympathy to Deryck,Drew, Karly,Jacquie, Floyd, Daniel,Adrian, Brandon And Lee on the loss of such a special wife,mother and granny,she will be deeply missed by all that had the honour of knowing her. May she rest in peace.
All our love
Caroline,Kerry, Brian,Sean, Adrian and Jordan


TIDBITS


13) TIDBITS

Volunteering is the ultimate exercise in democracy. You vote in elections once a year, but when you volunteer, you vote every day about the kind of community you want to live in.
--Marjorie Moore




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