Community stops at nothing to assist those hit by drought

The drought is considered to be one of country’s worst since 1982.

According to Robbyn Wilkinson, founder of the relief project, the number of residents and companies wanting to help has been heartwarming, especially considering the fact that the project started only two weeks ago.

Ashlee Hausberger, a Kyalami resident and Team Discovery showjumper said, “We [Lisa Williams and Dominey Alexander] decided to give back and help horses and people in need.”

Hausberger, together with other riders and residents, has raised R23 500.

Alexander, a showjumper and owner of Cellehof Stud and Livery became involved after reading how dire the situation was, and together with his wife, Karen, immediately got their clients involved. “It has been unbelievable how everyone has rallied together, the support we have received from the equestrian community has been amazing and every single person that has helped has been remarkable,” he said.

Alexander and his wife raised R55 000 and have also received grass, water and livestock feed donations.

Catherine Gill, who also got involved in the project, explained that the severity of the drought situation only hit home after a 14-hour trip to the Free State, “In one trip down [to several towns in the Free State] we saw people queuing in the blistering sun with empty bottles collecting their weekly supply of water from a tank. They cheered as they saw us come around the corner knowing we were bringing water… They couldn’t believe that absolute strangers would go to such lengths to help them.

“[One] old woman held onto Ashlee Hausberger and I like she never wanted us to leave. She buried her head in my chest and cried,” Gill said.

According to Gill, in some areas the drought is so severe that residents are forced to use all donated water to wash, drink and bath, “They do not have a drop of water coming from their taps,” she said.

Wilkinson, who started the project in the first week of January, said the equestrian community had really come on board. “We have made 14 to 15 trips so far with 10 bakkies and horseboxes, and four big trucks.

She added that more than 50 000 litres of water had been delivered to date (mostly to Senekal and Windburg), 700 bales of grass for the horses and 50 bags of food for other animals.

Businesses and lifestyle estates have also come on board sponsoring water, trucks and containers.

Wilkinson said 20 schools around Gauteng were also involved in the project, “The idea is to link up schools in Gauteng with those in the Free State that have no access to running water,” she said.

She commended everyone involved in the project. “The list of people helping is amazing… Fiona Hampson-Searle, Dunblane Lifestyle Estate, Mandlachem [a chemical company based in Benoni]… I could go on and on,” she said.

The project has also inspired mobile communications company, Vodacom which has since started its own project.

Do you think that South Africa has enough resources and planning in place to survive the drought? Tweet @Fourways_Review