RESIDENTS of Aberdeen’s townships were very grateful earlier this month to see a water tanker from the Gift of the Givers.
The high-lying areas of both Lotusville and Thembalesizwe have been suffering with little or no water, at very low pressure, for several weeks, and although the municipal trucks have been doing the rounds, there has never been enough water for all those who need it.
Gift of the Givers have brought donations to Aberdeen farmers previously, in 2017 and 2018, but this is the first time that they have become involved in alleviating the water crisis in the community.
Graaff-Reinet resident, Corene Conradie, who first became involved in water distribution in her private capacity about a year ago, has been working for Gift of the Givers since October last year as drought coordinator for the Eastern Cape. With her team of Edwill Jantjies and Randall Goliath, both Graaff-Reinet men, she travels around the province, reacting to communities in need.
Conradie was also assisted in Aberdeen by locals, Eldrige Ruiters and Ralph Frazenburg, who helped identify the most needy areas.
In Thembalesizwe, Nonkonzo April has a makeshift large tank in her yard, which the donors gladly filled. This water is available to others in the community, controlled by April’s church group.
In the high-lying areas of Lotusville, residents flocked to the tankers with a variety of containers ranging from cooldrink bottles to huge buckets and tin baths.
Before the deliveries could be completed, the dark threatening clouds released their promised rain, and the community rejoiced in the downpour. A total of 22mm fell that afternoon.
As one resident later commented, “This afternoon’s gift came from the biggest giver of water of all – let us thank God for the blessing of rain.”
The following week, two large water tanks were delivered to Aberdeen by Gift of the Givers and installed in the townships for the community.
