Latest news with #waterdistribution
News24
13 hours ago
- News24
Gift of the Givers calls for arrest of ‘water mafia' after threats in flood-ravaged Mthatha
Gift of the Givers Foundation staff received threats while providing water to residents in flood-ravaged Mthatha. Police Minister Senzo Mchunu previously condemned the threats, and authorities are providing armed protection for aid workers. The humanitarian organisation called for the arrest of those responsible. Gift of the Givers Foundation founder Imtiaz Sooliman has called for the arrest of the 'water mafia' after aid workers were threatened while distributing water to flood-ravaged residents in Mthatha in the Eastern Cape. The person who made the threats, he said, was driving a black Toyota Fortuner at the time. His call came days after Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and the OR Tambo District Municipality condemned the intimidation of the workers. The municipality has contracts with companies that own water tankers and distribute water to people during outages. Gift of the Givers has been distributing the water for free ever since the floods hit the Eastern Cape, claiming the lives of at least 92 people, most of them in Mthatha. Sooliman said information indicated that someone driving a black Toyota Fortuner had made the threats. 'Gift of the Givers appreciates the message of support from the Minister of Police, Senzo Mchunu, against the water mafia who tried to intimidate Gift of the Givers drivers while delivering life-saving water to the people of Mthatha, who were severely affected by the floods,' he added. READ | Gift of the Givers 'water mafia' intimidation an attack on ubuntu, says Mchunu 'Given the hardship and difficulty of the people and given the fact that [over] 90 people have passed on, the behaviour of the water mafia is totally disgusting. We appreciate the fact that the SAPS acted immediately by sending an armed person in the truck with our drivers, as well as a car following the water tankers. 'The situation has completely calmed down, but we are calling on the community of Mthatha to help us find a black Toyota Fortuner from which the threat was made, and we need that person arrested,' he said Sooliman added that profiteering from people's hardship needed to stop: This is a message to the water mafia: we will take you on wherever you are because Gift of the Givers is not afraid of anyone. 'We have the support of the government, the SAPS, the SANDF, and above all, we have the support of the communities and the municipalities when it comes to assisting people in dire need, as is the case now in Mthatha and the Eastern Cape. 'This kind of heinous behaviour has to stop. We hope that the government will now extend the support it is giving to Gift of the Givers to all areas where the water mafia are capitalising. All those types of tenders have to stop in the interest of saving money and in the interest of the people of our country,' he said. On Wednesday, Mchunu said the police would not tolerate any attempt to intimidate or obstruct those working tirelessly to save lives and bring relief to the people. 'Gift of the Givers has consistently been a source of hope and dignity to South Africans in their hour of need. Any attack on them is an attack on the very principle of ubuntu,' the minister said.
News24
3 days ago
- News24
‘Mafia' tells Gift of the Givers to stop providing free water to Mthatha flood victims
Gift of the Givers staff was threatened by the 'water mafia' while distributing free water to flood victims in Mthatha. Recent flooding claimed at least 90 lives in the region, displacing hundreds of residents. Gift of the Givers relief teams now require police escorts to safely deliver essential aid to affected communities. Gift of the Givers staff was intimidated on Saturday while providing essential aid to flood victims in Mthatha, the Eastern Cape. According to the OR Tambo District Municipality, the organisation's relief team was threatened by people who demanded that it stop supporting hundreds of displaced residents affected by recent flooding that left at least 90 people dead. In a statement on Tuesday, the municipality said the humanitarian organisation's staff received threats from 'unknown people'. 'This happened on Saturday when Gift of the Givers was distributing water to flood victims when the criminals directed them to stop what they were doing.' It condemned the incident. 'We wish to state without fear that extortion is a crime and a moral betrayal of the highest order, especially when directed at those extending a hand to the helpless. To prey on a crisis is to turn pain into profit. It is merciless, and it will not be tolerated,' the municipality said. Speaking to News24, Gift of the Givers' Ali Sablay confirmed the incident and said it was perpetrated by the 'water mafia'. 'While our teams were busy distributing water, they received a threat from one of the service providers to the [OR Tambo District] municipality. They [the service providers] were concerned that Gift of the Givers was giving water to the communities free of charge. 'We are very grateful to the OR Tambo District Municipality, South African Police Service, King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipality's law enforcement and the community who said they would not allow this. They told our teams not to leave as they would deal with people behind the threats. Sablay added: It is very sad that during the disaster, greed takes over from people who are supposed to render services to the people. He said his teams were now being escorted by police when delivering essential aid to affected communities. They did not open a police case. The municipality said the incident did not accurately reflect the people of Mthatha and was grateful for Gift of the Givers' assistance. 'This is not who we are. We are people who rebuild, share, and rise for one another. Let us not let the shadows of crime cloud the light of compassion.'
CTV News
14-05-2025
- Climate
- CTV News
Inuit village in Quebec's Far North facing ‘severe' water distribution challenges
A sled is hooked up to a snowmobile on the ice near Inukjuak, Que. Thursday, May 12, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld MONTREAL — Officials in Quebec's Nunavik region are raising the alarm over severe water distribution challenges in the Inuit community of Puvirnituq. The Kativik Regional Government says the village's five-kilometre-long water pipeline froze during a blizzard in mid-March and has yet to thaw. As a result, the town of roughly 2,100 people has been forced to bring in water by truck over long distances in extreme weather on icy roads. Kativik says the water is loaded at a pumping station and disinfected manually with chlorine. The regional government says water distribution in the region is affected by infrastructure limitations, truck volume, a lack of experienced technical staff and weather delays. Kativik says it's hoping the weather will improve enough for interim repairs to take place in June and for normal operations to resume during the summer. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 14, 2025.
CTV News
14-05-2025
- Climate
- CTV News
Inuit village in Quebec's Far North facing ‘severe' water distribution challenges
A sled is hooked up to a snowmobile on the ice near Inukjuak, Que. Thursday, May 12, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld MONTREAL — Officials in Quebec's Nunavik region are raising the alarm over severe water distribution challenges in the Inuit community of Puvirnituq. The Kativik Regional Government says the village's five-kilometre-long water pipeline froze during a blizzard in mid-March and has yet to thaw. As a result, the town of roughly 2,100 people has been forced to bring in water by truck over long distances in extreme weather on icy roads. Kativik says the water is loaded at a pumping station and disinfected manually with chlorine. The regional government says water distribution in the region is affected by infrastructure limitations, truck volume, a lack of experienced technical staff and weather delays. Kativik says it's hoping the weather will improve enough for interim repairs to take place in June and for normal operations to resume during the summer. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 14, 2025.
