Everyone agrees that you can do without electricity, well for a while anyway, but not without water.
Now power failures and load shedding are greeted with a fatalistic shrug of the shoulders, so used are we to the lights going off without warning.
But now, per our story on page 1, scientists warn that our already bad water situation could be worse in years to come, worse than the Eskom problem.
While we have alternatives to Eskom ‒ like solar power, if you can afford it ‒ what do we do for water?
Where would we find uncontaminated water sources? And if we find sources, would the already deteriorating pipelines be able to deliver?
But the problem starts with the collapsing sewage infrastructure, and the lack of sanitation facilities for millions of homeless who ‒ surprise, surprise ‒ set up home near water courses, which are then contaminated...
And now for some good news. We are happy to recognise well-known publicist Illa Thompson on being invested as a Member of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem.
Illa, the inspiration behind many of our striking page 1 pictures, often with a charitable inclination, is an unsung heroine of Durban and utterly deserving of the honour.
Do your bit by supporting the Street Lit project she co-ordinates, which enables the homeless to earn an income selling books.
The Independent on Saturday