Rhodes University Management march for water…
Rhodes University Management and the SRC today (Friday) marched on the Makana Municipality – as the university was forced to temporarily suspend part of its academic programme, including formal undergraduate lectures, tutorials, and practicals, amid severe disruptions to its municipal water supply. The campus has been without municipal water since Friday, 23 August 2024, and the university has had to provide water via tankers to kitchens, residences, academic buildings, and offices. Speaking to BizNews after the march, the university's CFO Kamlesh Riga describes the magnitude of the crisis, and the effect it has had on individual hygiene, health, and study conditions. He also reveals the real reasons behind the lack of water supply, and lists the contingency measures the university has put in place at great cost.
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Highlights from the Interview
In this interview, Chris Steyn speaks with Kamlesh Riga, the CFO of Rhodes University, regarding the ongoing water supply issues that have disrupted campus operations. Due to these outages, the university has been forced to rely on rainwater tanks, water tankers, and rainwater harvesting systems to maintain basic services. However, the situation has become increasingly difficult, leading to the temporary suspension of academic activities to address hygiene concerns, particularly in the residences.
Riga explains that the water supply problems stem from difficulties in transferring bulk water from reservoirs to the community, compounded by staff unrest due to unpaid overtime. The university's delegation, including students and staff, marched on the municipality to demand urgent action. While the delegation was well-received, Riga emphasizes the need for immediate and long-term solutions. The university is currently focusing on contingency plans and supporting the well-being of students while awaiting further developments from the municipality and provincial government.
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Edited transcript of the Interview
00:00:14:00 – 00:00:28:23
Chris Steyn:
Rhodes University management and the SRC marched on the municipality this morning over water outages that have practically shut down the university. We speak to the university CFO, Mr. Kamlesh Riga. Welcome, sir.
00:00:29:00 – 00:00:31:18
Kamlesh Riga:
Hello. Sorry. Thanks.
00:00:31:20 – 00:00:36:21
Chris Steyn:
How long has the campus been without a municipal water supply?
00:00:36:23 – 00:00:41:22
Kamlesh Riga:
The campus has been without municipal water supply for not too long, just a few days.
00:00:42:00 – 00:00:45:10
Chris Steyn:
How has the university managed, sir?
00:00:45:12 – 00:01:12:21
Kamlesh Riga:
So, we do have rain tanks. We have tanks around the campus, which can hold about 5000 liters. With our newer buildings, we also have rainwater harvesting systems that feed into those tanks. Additionally, we have two water tankers on campus that replenish these tanks, and that's how we keep things going.
00:01:12:23 – 00:01:28:18
Kamlesh Riga:
But, as you can understand, it's a considerable inconvenience. It's a significant cost, and at times, we have to go to the outskirts of Makhanda to find water.
00:01:29:00 – 00:01:38:20
Chris Steyn:
Now, you have had to temporarily suspend part of the academic program. What does that entail, and how likely is that to last?
00:01:38:21 – 00:02:10:20
Kamlesh Riga:
We're not sure when the water supply will return. The impasse between the municipality and the workers continues. The reason why we suspended lectures today is that we want to accommodate students who haven't been able to attend due to hygiene needs. Let's be honest, if you go into a lecture without proper sanitation, you feel uncomfortable. The ablution facilities on campus, especially in the residences, are not adequate for this situation.
00:02:10:21 – 00:02:45:03
Kamlesh Riga:
We have 54 residences that range from 25 to 100 people each. You can imagine the strain on the facilities when only one or two floors have access to water. It was an untenable situation that impacted the mental well-being and operations of the university, so we decided that the best way forward was to close the university for a day.
00:03:01:04 – 00:03:08:18
Chris Steyn:
What is behind the water supply problems? It's not an actual shortage of water, is it?
00:03:08:18 – 00:03:39:00
Kamlesh Riga:
So, we understand that there is enough bulk water. The problem is getting the water from the reservoirs into the community. We also understand that overtime payments to staff have not been made. Basically, the staff, having not received overtime payments for a period of time, have now decided to take some sort of action.
00:03:39:02 – 00:03:44:11
Chris Steyn:
How was your delegation received today?
00:03:44:13 – 00:04:13:09
Kamlesh Riga:
Actually, I mean, first of all, we need to commend our student body. It was their initiative, and we, as the support staff of the university, supported it 100%. I think it was well received under the circumstances. Both the speaker and the municipal manager addressed us.
00:04:13:11 – 00:04:34:15
Kamlesh Riga:
However, I still think that the urgency of the matter needs to be recognized and resolved. We need a clear plan with long-term, medium-term, and short-term interventions because, as you know, we've been dealing with this for the last year.
00:04:34:17 – 00:04:40:02
Chris Steyn:
Have you had any response from the provincial government?
00:04:40:04 – 00:04:50:20
Kamlesh Riga:
We have been in touch with the provincial government. The Vice-Chancellor is managing that relationship.
00:04:50:22 – 00:04:54:15
Chris Steyn:
Okay. And, what is the next step for the university now?
00:04:54:17 – 00:05:19:13
Kamlesh Riga:
The next step is to continue with our contingency program. We are hoping that there might be some resolution to the situation over the weekend, but all we can do is support the students to the best of our ability. We also need to look after the psychological well-being of the students.
00:05:19:15 – 00:05:47:18
Kamlesh Riga:
Remember, with our 54 residences, come 14 dining halls where food is prepared. Water is a substantial part of both the preparation and the hygiene of utensils and food. So, our approach has been to prioritize the different types of amenities we have, ensure there's water where needed, and continue delivering water through our tankers and rainwater harvesting systems.
00:06:12:23 – 00:06:20:17
Chris Steyn:
Thank you. That was Kamlesh Riga, CFO of Rhodes University, speaking to BizNews. I am Chris Steyn. Thank you, sir.
00:06:20:19 – 00:06:21:18
Kamlesh Riga:
Thank you very much.
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