By: Natasha Archary
With many areas in the city dealing with power outages, the opening question on Kaya Drive with Sizwe is “what can you do without, water or electricity?”
The question left the Kaya Drive team, listeners and social media users divided.
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Thu 15:07:43 to 15:26:19 Kaya FM 95.9
Granted every individual’s needs are different and when one commodity is seen as a necessity, the other may just be a privilege. Situations play a factor in the responses and with most people still working from home, being without power for days on end is a big inconvenience.
That said, during a pandemic when sanitation ranks so high, not having water to clean, wash, bathe is equally not ideal.
Going days without either seems like a tall expectation to place on city dwellers who have come to expect that basic utilities are always available. Turn on the tap, water should flow. Switch on the light and you’re no longer in the dark.
What are the cons of going without water?
- Unable to wash laundry, dishes
- Unable to self-clean or sanitize
- Unable to flush the toilet
- Makes cooking difficult
- Dehydration
- Going without water for a prolonged time can impact other bodily functions
People can buy water or collect water to make use of from reservoirs or water tankers.
What are the cons of going without electricity?
- Traffic lights being out causes congestion
- Appliances don’t work
- Groceries spoil
- Automatic gates and garage doors will stop working once battery runs out
- Makes cooking difficult
- Can’t keep cool or warm
- Wifi doesn’t work
There are rechargeable lights, power banks and gas cookers that people may use when there’s no electricity. South Africans have some experience with electricity outages with Eskom loadshedding whenever there’s a strain on the grid.
Listen to the Kaya Drive listener’s perspectives:
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Kaya Drive: Water or electricity? What can you live without? Natasha
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Kaya Drive: Water or electricity? What can you live without? Natasha
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Kaya Drive: Water or electricity? What can you live without? Natasha
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Kaya Drive: Water or electricity? What can you live without? Natasha
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Kaya Drive: Water or electricity? What can you live without? Natasha
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Kaya Drive: Water or electricity? What can you live without? Natasha
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Kaya Drive: Water or electricity? What can you live without? Natasha
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Kaya Drive: Water or electricity? What can you live without? Natasha
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Kaya Drive: Water or electricity? What can you live without? Natasha
Nna guys i would rather not have water than electricity. I can’t imagine a day without my phone,lights, TV or Radio. I mean you can’t even cook. #kayadrive
— Pac Pacino (@Pac_Pacino) September 9, 2021
This is easy @SizweDhlomo
Give me water, keep electricity.Forget bathing for a sec. The smell etoilet after few visits ungana manzi😂😂#kayadrive
— Ayanda_B (@AyandaB16) September 9, 2021
@SizweDhlomo #kayadrive nna when there’s no water I feel dirty even when I’ve showered
— boipelo lenkwane (@MsAlphaLioness) September 9, 2021
@SizweDhlomo I live in a village. I chop wood and start a fire to cook or boil water. Water is life.#kayadrive
— BAASH (@BAASH_COMEDIAN) September 9, 2021


