BUSINESS
TIME FOR COLLABORATION
Commentary by Rob Rein
The recent water crisis should spur all critical stakeholders on to collaborate on working around natural and man-made catastrophes .
Natural and national disasters have a way of jolting communities and societies into common action . They often deal us a harsh reminder that we are inhabitants of a shared planet with shared resources , which we all need to thrive . To survive them , natural disasters require collaborative efforts by various society actors , working together to achieve a stated common goal .
The Western Cape water crisis is one such example that requires different actors to collaborate , with an objective of minimising the impact of water shortage on both communities and businesses . It requires common action to stave off the disastrous impact of Day Zero , now in 2019 .
Informed by this reality , working with the Western Cape Provincial Government , Green Cape , and other critical stakeholders , PPC recently hosted an industry workshop in Cape Town to explore ways through which industry players can contribute to conserving and preserving water while sustaining the local economy .
The crisis demands of various actors to be innovative and compels us to reevaluate our current strategies , possibly developed in times of water abundance . The industry , including big and small players , needs a complete mind shift now that we are confronted with a new reality .
The truth of the matter is that South Africa is a water-scarce country , and the Western Cape water crisis will not be the last one to affect the country . As several workshop participants warned , businesses , households , and individuals must adjust to the ‘ new normal ’ — not only to stave off Day Zero in the Western Cape , but because water scarcity is a scary reality for the entire country .
A point to note is that the Western Cape Provincial Government ’ s projections are that the dry spell cycle will possibly last for between three and four years , and the water tariffs will remain in force for a long duration . Evidently , it cannot be business as usual for the industry . In the Western www . socialventurepartners . org
26
JUNE 2018