Volksrust Recorder - Column / Rubrieke10 Recorder 13 November 2015

Minister moet waterkwaliteitverslae publiseer - AfriForumAfriForum het Maandag 'n aanmaningsbriefsowel as 'n navraag ingevolge die Wet opdie Bevordering van Toegang tot Inligting(PAIA) aan Margaret-Anne Diedricks,direkteur-generaal van die departement vanwater en sanitasie, gerig om agterstalligewaterkwaliteitverslae te publiseer.“Met 'n waterkrisis in Suid-Afrika, is dituiters belangrik vir landsburgers om te weetwat die kwaliteit van hulle water is, sodathulle waaksaam kan wees teengesondheidsrisiko’s. Weens die skaarsheidvan waterbronne en die gebrek aanreënwater om die besoedelde sisteme inhierdie droogtetydperk aan te vul, is diekwaliteit van water besig om te versleg ensodoende meer druk op munisipale sistemete plaas,” het Julius Kleynhans, AfriForumse hoof van omgewingsake, gesê.Kleynhans het bygevoeg dat afgesien van

ChangeYourStory

With Jacques de Villiers

I was reading about Jonah and the whale asone does when Stephen King starts to getboring. You know the story. God commandsJonah to preach repentance to the city ofNineveh.Jonah wasn’t keen on this. First, the citywas known for its wickedness. Second, itwas the capital of the Assyrian empire, oneof Israel’s fiercest enemies.So, Jonah bolted and fled on a ship toTarshish, in the opposite direction ofNineveh. God sent a violent storm whichthreatened to break the ship into pieces. Thecrew tossed Jonah overboard to appeaseGod and he ended up in the belly of a whale(or fish). The sea calmed and they weresaved. After three days in the whale he wasspat up on the dry land of Nineveh. Afterlots of gnashing of teeth and praying, I mightadd.He then preached to Nineveh. And savedits people from a terrible trauma that Godhad planned for them. Everyone was happy.Jonah not so much ... but I think he was amiserable character to start with.The story plays out like the The Hero’sJourney by American Mythologist, JosephCampbell.Loosely and not quite in the correct order,here’s how the Hero’s (Jonah’s) Journeyplays out. Call to adventure - preachrepentance to citizens of Nineveh. Refusalof the call - get the heck out of there andhead for Trashish. Adventure - ship almostsinks in storm. More adventure - thrown

For further information:Jacques de Villiers jacques@jacquesdevilliers.com082 906 3693

“We must be willing to getrid of the life we’ve planned,so as to have the life that iswaiting for us.”Joseph Campbell

Jonah, the Whale and Youoverboard. Adventure/salvation - land inmouth of whale. Dark night of the soul -how’s he going to get out of the whale?Salvation - whale spits him out onto dry landafter three days. Climax - saves Nineveh byfinally obeying God’s call.My interpretation of the Jonah story is a bitdifferent to my Sunday School teacher’s one.Either way, I think the story of Jonah hasrelevance to all our lives.Some of us know what our calling is. But werefuse to heed the call. We stay where weare. That’s when we end up in all sorts ofmisadventures which steer us back to ourcalling. God purpose for you will not bedenied. And, even when you find yourcalling, the adventures don’t stop.Sometimes you’ll falter and think that youmade a big mistake (dark night of the soul).Of course the trick is to figure out what yourcalling is. Sometimes it’s foisted on you (justwhen things were going so well). Sometimesyou have an idea about where you shouldbe going but you ignore the call (refusal ofcall).“We must be willing to get rid of the life we’veplanned, so as to have the life that is waitingfor us.” Joseph CampbellYou’re actually lucky if you get a calling andfigure out how to follow it. Because mostmen as Henry David Thoreau so eloquentlyputs it, “… lead lives of quiet desperationand go to the grave with the song still inthem.”That which makes your heart sing and thatwhich calls you is seldom an easy journey.But, it’s a necessary journey if you are tomake something of this life you have chosento live out on this planet.

die droogte, is die grootste risiko vir Suid-Afrika die versuim van die DWS om tereguleer. “Omdat die reguleerder versuim omte reguleer, het slegs 25% vandrinkwatersisteme in 2013 aanwaterkwaliteitstandaarde voldoen en wordnagenoeg 4 miljard liter gedeeltelike enongesuiwerde riool daagliks in ons riviereen damme uitgestort, wat die risiko virbesoedeling en die uitbreek van siektesbuitensporig verhoog,” het Kleynhansbygevoeg.Ten einde AfriForum in staat te stel om Suid-Afrikaanse burgers se reg tot skoon water teverseker, het die organisasie dringendversoek dat die DWS die volgende lewer:1. Afskrifte van die volledige 2013Groendruppelverslag wat veronderstel wasom in Julie 2013 bekend gestel te word enwaarvan slegs 'n bestuursoorsig in Januarie

2015 aan die publiek bekend gestel is;2. Afskrifte van die volledige 2014Bloudruppelvorderingsverslag wat inSeptember 2015 bekend gestel moes word;en3. Afskrifte van die nuutste RegulatoriesePrestasiemoniteringsisteemverslae.“In die inleiding van die 2013 BloudruppelBestuursoorsig het die DWS geen voornemegetoon om op te tree teen kriminelemunisipale amptenare nie,” het Kleynhansbygevoeg. Hy het toe die volgendeaangehaal uit die 2013 BloudruppelBestuursoorsig: “It is not the purpose ofthis assessment to criminalise poor or highrisk drinking water services and waterquality, but rather to act as a precautionary tool,warning the Water Services Institutions inthe country about the level of risk at which

water services and water quality is deliveredto the citizens of South Africa.”AfriForum het genoem dat die verslae deurhardwerkende belastingbetalers gefinansierword en indien daar in ag geneem word datdit die eiendom van die publiek is, moet dievolledige verslae bekend gestel word.“Indien hierdie verslae nie binne dieraamwerk van die PAIA bekend gestel wordnie, sal ons die howe nader om 'n interdikteen die DWS te bekom wat hulle sal dwingom die dokumente aan die publiek bekend testel,” het Kleynhans afgesluit.SMS “Water” na 45354 om by AfriForum aante sluit en die organisasie se inisiatief teondersteun om die volhoubare gebruik enbeskerming van Suid-Afrika se waterbronnete verseker. (R1/SMS).~AfriForum~

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The Sungrid Group – developers,manufacturers and distributors of a fullrange of portable (solar) power and lightingproducts, has announced an extension toits product range aimed specifically at theemerging marketplace.“With over 10 million South Africans notconnected to any form of electricity, cost-effective and viable solutions focused oncombatting this energy poverty isessential,” says Paul Hubers, founder anddirector, Sungrid Group. Reliable access toboth power and light empowerscommunities. It enables communication andfacilitates entrepreneurship, therebyincreasing income-generating capacity forfamilies.Our objective was to develop a range ofentry level products, capable of providingpower and light during either times of loadshedding or for those not connected to thegrid, whilst remaining cost-effective andtherefore within the reach of most,”continues Hubers.A revolutionary solar power bulb, the ‘my-lite’ or ‘my-lite+’ comes complete with a1.5W or 3W solar panel and 90 or 200 Lumensuper bright LED. A single charge of six toeight hours provides either six to eighthours of brightness. It is weatherproof, safeand easy to use, with a 3m cable allowingfor easy movement. “We also have the ‘my-lamp’, providing up to eight hours of

brightness,” adds Hubers. With its lanternlike appearance and hook, it easilytransportable and able to hang whereverthere is a need for light.

Part of its Solsave range, all three productscome with dual charging capability. Whatthis in effect means, is the ability to chargethese items either by making use of the sun’srays or via the grid when the power is on.The Solsave ‘my-lamp’ also comes with ahandle-like feature, allowing for manualcharging.Whilst the compact and easily transportablenature of these products may render them aperfect fit for both the recreational andoutdoor markets, one of Sungrid Group’sprimary objectives lie in making poweraccessible to all. “In addition to enhancingrecreational activities and improving safetyand security, a key part of our vision is toempower communities where the dailyconsumption of electricity is not a reality,”concludes Hubers.