Issued by: Ministry in the Office of the President
JAY NAIDOO "ADOPTS" ALEX SCHOOL
Jay Naidoo, Minister in the Office of the President responsible for the government's Reconstruction and Development Programme, has "adopted" the Dr Knak Primary School in Alexandra as part of the countrywide 2020 Vision of Water in SA Campaign.
Naidoo, who also represents Alexandra in the National Assembly, said that water was one of the most abused resources in South Africa.
Naidoo said the Dr Knak Primary School represented a microcosm of the water situation in South Africa. "There are more than 800 pupils in the school yet there are only six drinking taps available to them. The children have to queue up on hot days to get a sip of water."
While Alexandra was lucky to have a stream flowing through it - the Jukskei - it was badly polluted and the water undrinkable, he said.
"There are currently between 12 and 16 million people who have inadequate access to clean, drinkable water, and more than 21 million people who have inadequate sanitation. Getting clean water and sanitation to these people is one of the main priorities of the Reconstruction and Development Programme," he said.
"It is a tough task. As water is a limited resouce, we need to optimise the ways in which we use our water and increase our awareness and participation in water conservation. The one way to do this is to make every drop count, to ensure that every drop of water is used wisely and conservatively."
"As patron of the Dr Knak Primary School for the 2020 Vision of Water in SA campaign, I will be encouraging the students to learn more about water conservation and to begin practicing what they learn. I will be keeping a close eye on the school and hope to visit it again in the future to assess its progress in terms of this important campaign," Naidoo said.
Issued by: Mandy Jean Woods Director: Communications Ministry in the Office of the President (Reconstruction and Development Programme)
Phone: (012) 341-5569 Fax: (012) 341-9612 Cellphone: 082 557 3684 21 March 1996
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT MANY JEAN WOODS IN PRETORIA.