Minister urges caution when labelling water "crisis"

JOHANNESBURG - Water and Sanitation Minister, Senzo Mchunu, says people should be careful when using the word crisis.

READ: Minister Mchunu releases drop reports into quality of water

He says labelling the water situation a crisis should come with context.

Mchunu was releasing the Blue, Green and No Drop water quality reports.

He said, "And we know we are setting up ourselves to many, to scrutiny by the public, the media."

"They are going to start saying, "Do you think you are doing a good job."

"They are going to start saying do you think there is no crisis in water in South Africa and I will continue to say that if people of South Africa want to use the word crisis to describe whatever the aspect of water they are free to do so."

"We are not going to go to anyone and ban the word crisis but we are encouraging everybody to contextualize by for instance indicating that when you have a crisis, when you’re talking about crisis, if a person, a family, doesn’t or have not had water for seven hours in a day, five hours in a day."

"The whole day, two days and days I have a crisis in my home…there is no water …we won't go and say and question that person because as far as this person is concerned there is a crisis in my home there is no water."