Mohamed Ameen Dabhelia – 2018/02/21

The National Freedom party’s Ahmed Sheikh Imam told Radio Islam that they are calling for an inquiry in to the water crisis gripping the Western Cape.

Imam’s damning allegations against the Democratic Alliance in parliament went viral after a video of him began to circulate on social media.

“For over 15 years, you knew that there was a water crisis coming, you knew the challenges in terms of drought, and drought does not come overnight.”

Imam says the city knew about outlets of water running underneath the city, including parliament; straight in to the ocean every single day.

“The question is, why do you choose to do absolutely nothing about it, and you leave it to the last minute?”

He says concern was raised after Cape Town Mayor Patricia De Lille outlined the desalination plant procurement plans.

“What the desalination plants will cost if it does locally, and what it would cost if it was done by the Israeli’s… and it’s a mammoth difference.”

Imam says that this is all linked to allegations suggesting that the DA was to receive R600 million from Israel toward their election campaign.

“Let’s go back to pre-1994, Israel was one of the countries who supported and funded the apartheid regime, and the question is why we are not investigating pre-1994?”

Anyone know this politicians name? pic.twitter.com/7ynNpV5xV5

— My Surname is Khan™ (@ejaz_k) February 20, 2018

Speaking to Radio Islam, the founder of the Cape Town Water Crisis .com’s Website Bridgette Limbandi says she differs with Imam’s sentiments to a certain extent.

“I’m going to agree that there is a measure of maladministration at play here, there’s no question about that, however something like climate change could not be created by the DA or any other political party.”

However, Limbandi says that there is no proof linking an Israeli company receiving the desalination project contracts as Imam alleges.

“Yes, they’ve offered, there’s been pressure by that offer, but it’s not been accepted and as far as I know, there’s no active pursuance of that offer with Israel.”

She says that there are other offers on the table, which includes local desalination companies.

DA councillor Errol Anstey told the South African Jewish Report that it is too late for Israel to save Cape Town.

“There is nothing Israel can do to save Cape Town right now … it takes two to three years to build a desalination plant and there is no quicker solution than that. The only thing Capetonians can do is to reduce consumption and save water, in order to get us to winter.”

Former Israeli Ambassador Arthur Lenk, was reportedly deeply entrenched in improving partnerships between Israel and South Africa, ‘especially around water’.