Mohamed Ameen Dabhelia, Radio Islam News – 29-01-2018

Humanitarian aid organisation Gift of the Givers are looking to push ‘Day Zero’ back as water levels continue to deplete in the Western Cape.

The group has implemented a nationwide collection of bottled water for stockpiling in military bases in Cape Town.

The group’s founder Imtiaaz Sooliman says they are now looking at the outlying areas in need of water.

“We are getting calls from areas severely affected by the water shortage, which includes; De Doorns, Bonnie vale, Ceres, Vredendal, Caledon and compiling a list of additional areas where boreholes need to be drilled.”

The first two trucks have departed from Gauteng and is expected to make its first delivery to the Fort Ikapa base in Cape Town this week.

Sooliman says cash donations are preferred as this allows them to purchase the water closer to Cape Town, which considerably reduces their transportation costs.

The City of Cape Town says it will have to close most taps on what it calls “Day Zero”, slated for April 12, if residents fail to save enough water.

Municipal authorities hope for seasonal rains soon and are working to extract water from alternative sources, including aquifers and desalination.

Gift Of The Givers Contact Number For Donations: 0800 786 911