SA pair teaches world how to conserve water

Two pupils from Northern Cape are representing SA in Sweden in a competition about water security. 

Fourteen-year-olds Kelebogile Abrahams and Mahlohonolo Mosia from Emang-Mmogo Comprehensive School in Kimberley jetted off to Sweden on Friday to take part in the Stockholm Junior Water Competition which will take place this week. They flew together with deputy minister of water and sanitation Judith Tshabalala.

They will compete along with other learners aged between 14 and 16 from 26 countries where they will present innovative ideas to address water shortage challenges. Earlier this year the grade 9 pupils presented their Water Policing project at the National SA Water Youth Competition which was hosted by the department in May. They won that competition and also bursaries to study overseas.  

“Despite our passion for water related challenges, we took upon ourselves to embark on this project [Water Policing] because we noticed how much we lose academically just because when there’s a water crises we are told to go home, only to find that it's just simply a pipe leakage which was unreported . So we just want to educate our fellow students and South Africans about the importance of water security,” said Kelebogile.

They said they were also motivated to enter the competition after realising the role played by businesses   in wasting water.

“Local businesses such as car wash companies usually waste litres of water and they don’t realise this. This project aims to teach people about the importance of saving water and we want to go to businesses and teach them how to preserve water,” said Mahlohonolo.

Tshabalala will also take part in various panel discussions on water challenges in Africa. 

“We as the department of water and sanitation will use this opportunity to participate in various discussions to demonstrate to the world how SA is managing the imbalances of the energy and water usage by households and businesses. We will also demonstrate how the department is working to achieve its vision to be recognised as world leaders in water management through positive inputs by SA water boards, research and academic institutions, business and other partners within SA’s water sector participation,” Tshabalala said.