22
De Wildt Nuus
Oktober 2021
5 760 moorde in drie maande waansin, sê TLU SA TLU SA-nuus Deur die inperking te gebruik om die toename in misdaad te probeer verbloem lei niemand in Suid-Afrika om die bos nie. Die minister van polisie, Bheki Cele het vandag die misdaadstatistiek vir die eerste kwartaal van die 2021/2022-tydperk bekend gemaak. Hy het herhaaldelik beklemtoon dat die dubbelsyfer-styging nie ’n ware weerspieëling van die toename van misdaad is nie omdat die COVID-19 pandemie die syfers skeef trek. “Slim woorde verander nie die feit dat 5 760 mense in drie maande in Suid-Afrika vermoor is nie,” sê mnr Henry Geldenhuys, die president van TLU SA. “Waar op aarde is dit aanvaarbaar dat 2,7 mense per uur doodgemaak word? Dit is waansinnig.” Dit is verder uiters kommerwekkend dat die Suid-Afrikaanse polisie die afgelope twee jaar geen nuwe rekrute kon aanstel nie terwyl ervare lede op strepe aftree. Dit laat Suid-Afrikaners,
en veral boere op afgeleë plase, baie kwesbaar in ’n land waar misdaad seëvier. “Dit is onaanvaarbaar dat die polisie se begroting besnoei word – en die res aan wanbesteding en korrupsie verloor word – terwyl misdaad een van die knelpunte in die land is,” sê mnr. Geldenhuys. “Dit is ook vir ons nie genoeg dat minister Cele sê die herstruktureringsprogram vorder goed nie. Kry effektiewe planne in plek, en gebruik die beskikbare fondse effektief om misdaad te bestry.” TLU SA doen weer ’n beroep op pres Ramaphosa om die polisie-departement van wanbestuur en korrupsie te suiwer deur (vir ’n begin) van minister Cele ontslae te raak. Steun gerus TLU SA se veldtog hieroor by hierdie skakel: https://www.tlu. co.za/tsamaea-cele/
TLU SA takes on DWS about dirty water to save agriculture Repair our water resources or get private institutions to get the job done. That is the message TLU SA wants to send the Department of Water and Sanitation and the government with a new campaign about water. According to the 2019 Water and Sanitation Masterplan, 56% of the 1 150 municipal wastewater treatment works and 44% of the 962 water treatment works are weak or critical, with 11% being utterly dysfunctional. The main reason for our dirty water is the deterioration of water treatment works because of municipal corruption, mismanagement and incapable staff. Furthermore, the rivers and dams are polluted because of poverty leading to poor housing and inadequate prosecution of polluters. “The poor quality of our water not only holds a risk for the availability of drinking water but also for the sustainability of agriculture,” says Mr Steven Vermaak, the chairperson of TLU SA’s Environmental Committee. “The more we have polluted urban water resources, the more we have to turn to agricultural water for clean water. The less agriculture has clean water, the less sustainable agriculture becomes, and the more farms are sold. The less commercial farmers can deliver agricultural products, the less food we have available in the country. South Africa is heading towards famine.” With this campaign, TLU SA wants to bring the poor quality of water across the country to the government’s attention. But, first, South Africans must send us photos of the dirty water in their area. These photos will then form part of a report to the department and government. “We are hopeful that the Blue and Green Drop projects will come to life again because one of the primary tasks of the department, in terms of the National Water Act, is to inform the public about the quality of river and tap water,” says Mr Vermaak. “It is impossible to solve the problem if the department does not even know the extent of the problem.” The minister for water and sanitation must also regulate
all roleplayers in the water value chain but fails. TLU SA demands the department do the following: Determine the status of water resources to calculate the measure of repair needed; Appoint competent, experienced people at municipalities and water authorities with a grasp of the problem and who would be able to react quickly; Act in terms of legislation against those who pollute and dump sewage in dams and rivers; Hold the Water Research Commission responsible for executing its mandate. “Finally, we will pose an ultimatum to the government to repair our water resources within a specific timeframe,” says Mr Vermaak. “If the government cannot succeed in this task, we will insist private institutions take over the work.” Send photos per WhatsApp to 060 735 3557.
