The lot that moan at Escom’s supposed legendary incompetence is largely an overindulged middle class and usually male. For the common folk, unless the maize mill is not running, they couldn’t care less.
In all of this, however, I have found reasons to admire Escom despite its limited means. I cannot remember the last time Escom kept me in the dark for two days or more. It is usually a few hours. Again, Escom often warns consumers about impending blackouts by publishing load shedding schedules which help one to plan their day. Of course, Escom reserves the right to disappoint, so once in a while it throws the schedule out the window and does what Escom knows best.
For most people, the reason we need electricity are usually as mundane as charging the phone, watching TV or listening to music. We lose next to nothing without electricity.
Some utility organisations, however, have been spared of the sort of flack that Escom cops. Take, for instance, the water boards and I am talking about Blantyre Water Board (BWB) in particular. When I last lived in Lilongwe about two years ago, water was not such a big deal. Granted, we had hiccups once in a while but overall we coped. I understand Lilongwe Water Board has of late fallen on hard times and it is failing to supply water properly to residents. I hear that is all due to the hazards of overpopulation and lack of foresight.
Early this year, as Escom and other water boards were lamenting that El Nino would affect their operations, BWB issued one of the most carelessly worded statements I have ever read when it declared it didn’t envisage such challenges. But as anyone who has lived in Blantyre long enough will testify, BWB’s response was vanity than reality. BWB and water shortages are hand in glove.
It is not uncommon for some townships in the city to have dry taps for a week without explanation or apology from BWB. As I am writing this, my area has gone for three days without water. No warning. No explanation. And no apology is forthcoming.
The more I read BWB’s slogan about ‘Water is life’, the more I am convinced the board is either intentionally raising the middle finger at its clients or it is just clueless. If the board knows water is life, how does it expect people survive for a week without water? And in what should be counted as one of the most misguided decision, the board had the gumption to raise tariffs on a product it barely supplies! What cheek!
It’s time the board stopped insulting its clients by clinging to that heartless slogan. Escom saw the folly of its ways after some prodding from Cama and it tweaked its slogan; it’s not too late for BWB to follow suit.
