News24 | Gift of the Givers ‘water mafia’ intimidation an attack on ubuntu, says Mchunu

Gift of the Givers staff with municipal law enforcement officials after they were threatened by "water mafia" in Mthatha on Saturday.

• Staff members of the humanitarian organisation Gift of the Givers staff were threatened while distributing water to victims of the Mthatha floods.
• Police Minister Senzo Mchunu said the attack was “an attack on the very principle of ubuntu”.
• The minister said no one would be allowed to profit from disaster or compromise the safety and well-being of people.

Describing the “water mafia’s” intimidation of Gift of the Givers staff in Mthatha, Eastern Cape, as “an attack on the very principle of ubuntu”, Police Minister Senzo Mchunu urged officers to deal with them.

Mchunu went to the town on Saturday and in a statement on Wednesday, he said the police would not tolerate any attempt to intimidate or obstruct people who were working tirelessly to save lives and bring relief to those affected by the flooding in the area.

“Gift of the Givers has consistently been a source of hope and dignity to South Africans in their hour of need,” Mchunu added.

READ | ‘Mafia’ tells Gift of the Givers to stop providing free water to Mthatha flood victims

The minister said no one would be allowed to profit from disaster or compromise the safety and well-being of people.

“The SAPS will ensure the safety of all humanitarian workers in the area and hold those responsible fully accountable under the law.”

The Gift of the Givers relief workers were distributing water to flood victims over the weekend when a group of people confronted them and demanded that they cease the relief operation.

“This happened on Saturday when the Gift of the Givers was busy distributing water to flood victims when the criminals directed them to stop what they were doing,” the municipality said in a statement on Tuesday.

READ | ‘The water was around my neck’: Eastern Cape death toll at 75 as residents recount escape

Confirming the incident, Gift of the Givers spokesperson Ali Sablay said the incident was perpetrated by the “water mafia”.

“While our teams were busy distributing water, they received a threat from one of the service providers to the [OR Tambo District] Municipality. They were concerned that Gift of the Givers was giving water to the communities free of charge,” Sablay said.

Mchunu added that police were also alerted to theft from deceased flood victims’ homes.

“Police have been deployed to ensure the safety of the property of the deceased,” he said.