Dale Kootwyk, Brooklyn
Nearly 50 years ago, when I was much younger, I lived for a year in Luanda, Angola, which was then a Portuguese protectorate.
During that time it never rained although there was a continuous mist known as the “kazimbo”.
All potable water was pumped from rivers up north, the Congo I think. There was no water for 20 hours every day. Water was only “on tap” between 6am and 8am and between 6pm and 8pm.
Each home had a basin or bucket filled with fresh water daily for flushing the toilet, washing one’s face, brushing one’s teeth and so on.
This must seem very drastic to the uninitiated but one got used to it soon enough.
There was no need for further restrictions and no need to slap extra hundred rands on the water accounts of poor pensioners, such as myself.
If the Western Cape were indeed serious about saving water this would be the sensible solution. It works.
