"Day Zero" is looming in Cape Town with an estimated 10 weeks until the city cuts off water to its homes and businesses. When that happens, the four million inhabitants of Africa's third wealthiest city will be forced to queue for hours to collect rations of drinking water. Fears of social unrest and even violence are justified. The reasons for this crisis include rapid population growth (up 79 per cent since 1995), the worst drought in a century and failures of governance. Metropolises worldwide face a similar threat; until recently Cape Town had done more than most. It made strides in reducing water consumption and increased efficiency, scooping international water management awards in the process. But ultimately officials proved short-sighted, expecting the rains to come. The startling pace with which Cape Town's crisis developed make it a cautionary tale.
Water starvation has shed light on the inequality that has blighted South African cities for decades. An attractive tourist destination, Cape Town is encircled by sprawling township communities, where residents obtain water from communal taps. Meanwhile in wealthy coastal communities, profligacy abounds. With a limit of 50 litres per person daily, it is now illegal to use taps to fill swimming pools, water gardens or wash cars. Nevertheless, township life is characterised by resource scarcity. In 2008, riots targeting migrants swept through the country as poor residents expressed their anger at the lack of utilities and employment opportunities in their communities. When “Day Zero” arrives, Cape Town’s residents will come face-to-face with the inequalities that underpin it.
Strategies are underway to deal with the emergency. Most are too little too late. 200 emergency water stations will be strategically located across the city, each serving almost 20,000 residents. Desalination plants and new water wells are under construction, though most are behind schedule. Other cities should learn from this inadequate response. Officials in Melbourne, Australia predict supply will end in a decade. Sao Paulo, Brazil and Mexico City already limit household supply. Many major Indian cities lack sufficient water. With the climate changing and populations rising, cities in this region, too, should take note. The case of Cape Town proves makes one thing abundantly clear: in times of low supply, we can't simply close our eyes and hope for rain.
Five expert hiking tips
Always check the weather forecast before setting off
Make sure you have plenty of water
Set off early to avoid sudden weather changes in the afternoon
Wear appropriate clothing and footwear
Take your litter home with you
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The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
THE LIGHT
Director: Tom Tykwer
Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger
Rating: 3/5
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylturbo
Transmission: seven-speed DSG automatic
Power: 242bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Price: Dh136,814
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Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
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In numbers
1,000 tonnes of waste collected daily:
- 800 tonnes converted into alternative fuel
- 150 tonnes to landfill
- 50 tonnes sold as scrap metal
800 tonnes of RDF replaces 500 tonnes of coal
Two conveyor lines treat more than 350,000 tonnes of waste per year
25 staff on site
The Lowdown
Kesari
Rating: 2.5/5 stars
Produced by: Dharma Productions, Azure Entertainment
Directed by: Anubhav Singh
Cast: Akshay Kumar, Parineeti Chopra
