When reports emerged of Helen Zille’s over-zealous use of water in drought-stricken Cape Town last week, a few eyebrows were raised as to how she was getting away with it.
It was claimed she had gone nearly 200L over the water usage targets of 87L per day, with her family using an excessive amount over July in August.
This information came from MEC Donald Grant. He was responding to a question in the provincial legislature regarding the four people who live in the Zille homestead.
However, her furious and comprehensive article directed to the TimesLive suggests she is playing by the rules. She claims the figures the paper ran with were ‘estimates’, and not genuine readings of water used at her Leeuwenhof estate.
Helen Zille trashes journalist for ‘fake news’ story
Zille poked holes in the story, reminding the author Aphiwe de Klerk that Leeuwenhof is a manor house and has up to 30 people working their daily. That is the main source of the so-called ‘excessive’ water usage.
Her opinion piece for politicsweb lambasted the journalist behind the story and his credibility. She stated he was merely pushing an agenda, and applying spin to a story that ‘attached a megaphone’ to whatever is trending on social media.
Read: Helen Zille’s spokesperson labels Cape Argus a ‘cheap propoganda rag’
In fact, she went on to list all of the multiple ways she is conserving water. This including her showering routine which takes place ‘once every three days’:
I shower briefly. Once every three days, and for the rest wash in the hand basin. I used to wash my hair every day. But now only when I shower, with visibly negative consequences. However, I regard oily hair in a drought to be as much of a status symbol as a dusty car.
How Helen Zille practices what she preaches:
- Two large JoJo tanks have been procured, so that they can ‘harvest rainwater to wash laundry.’
- Covered the swimming pool, stopped all garden irrigation since March.
- Installed smart water meters to detect any leaky taps or water sources.
- The family ‘hand-wash their dishes’ as the dishwasher isn’t conservation-friendly.
With Cape Town in the grip of level five restrictions following a drought, it remains vital that Western Cape residents remain frugal with their water. Helen Zille has set the example, and if you want to reduce your shower time, that’s also your decision.
