Water is not only indispensable to sustain life, but is also a lifetime requirement.

It is no secret that South Africa's water is in dire straits. The media inundate us every day with news reports, pictures and news footage of raw sewage and industrial effluent being dumped blatantly into dams, streams and rivers, thus polluting one of our most precious natural resources to the extent that it poses a dreadful danger to all forms of life.

Hardly a day goes by without reports of water purification and sanitation plants that have fallen in a state of disrepair.

Local authorities no longer have knowledgeable people with the necessary expertise in their employ to maintain the plants. The result is unsafe water running from taps particularly in the rural areas, and disgusting sewage bubbling from manholes in the streets of many towns.

Now is not the time to point fingers and blame affirmative action for the grave situation, but to work together to solve it.

Fact is, with 98% of its available water supply already fully utilized, South Africa sits on a water time bomb which will affect each and every person within her borders. Enough has been said to confirm that we are dealing with a problem of gigantic proportions.

Without clean water, the country's food security and the nation's health are at stake – which we can ill afford.

UASA has convened a series of seminars which signals the start of a programme of loyal resistance. In other words, it signals the starting point of a new course of action – not one of confrontation, but one of earnest cooperation with the authorities in their efforts to solve the water crisis.

It is our intension to ensure that government will pay urgent attention to the country's critical water situation as a matter of priority.

We are encouraged by definite indications that the present national administration is desirous to tackle crippling problems such as poor service delivery, neglected roads, precarious sanitation and the like. The country’s critical water situation as a matter of priority, and consider the solutions, expertise and assistance on offer.