Standing Together
Times are uncertain and tough for everyone. The Waterberg is heavily dependent on tourism, the sector that is probably amongst the worst affected by the current pandemic.
It is at times like these that we need to take stock of what we have to offer. We have a resilient population that knows what it is to face adversity. We have always fought against the odds and yet come out winners. In the past the population of the Waterberg has had to cope with the Rinderpest, with Malaria, with Bilharzia, with severe droughts, with extreme heat, with recessions and with wars. Despite all these obstacles we are still here.
If we are to be successful now it requires “the cooperative participation and buy-in of all the communities of the Waterberg. For too long we have attempted to deal with matters within our own micro communities, defined by colour or religious sect, language group, or even occupation. But the challenges we face now are much bigger than any one community. They affect, are dependent on and can only be addressed by the whole community.”
(Quoted extract from “Waterberg Echoes”, by Richard Wadley, published by Protea Books, 2019.)
It is time to put personal issues, prejudices and differences aside and to realise that we need each other.
It starts now, today!
Regards,
Ken Maud
Founding Director – Waterberg Tourism NPC
Saam Staan en Opstaan
Op die oomblik gaan ons almal deur ‘n harde en onsekere tyd. Die Waterberg is afhanklik van toerisme, die industrie wat sekerlik die hardste deur die huidige pandemie getref word.
Dis gedurende hierdie tye wat ons moet rekening hou van wat ons het om aan besoekers te bied: Ons het ‘n ongelooflike gemeenskap wat goed weet wat dit is om uitdagende omstandighede te oorleef. Ons het altyd teen die wind gevaar, en tog elke keer bo uitgekom. In die verlede het die mense van die Waterberg teen Rinderpes, Malaria, Bilharzia, erge droogtes met uitmergelende hitte, resessies en oorloe te staande gekom, en oorwin. Ten spite van al daardie uitdagings is ons steeds hier.
Om nou weereens suksesvol te wees sal vereis dat “al die diverse gemeenskappe van die Waterberg moet saamstaan. Ons het vir gans te lank met uitdagings binne ons mikro gemeenskappe, gedefinieer deur kleur, geloof, taal en selfs loopbaan, probeer stuwel. Die uitdagings wat ons nou in die gesig staar is veel groter as enige klein, aparte gemeenskap. Hulle affekteer, is afhanklik van en kan slegs suksesvol verslaan word as ons as een gemeenskap daarteen staan en veg”.
(Gekwoteer uit Waterberg Echoes deur Richard Wadley, Protea Books Pulishers 2019).
Die tyd het gekom om ons persoonlike sake, vooroordele en verskille opsy te sit en te besef dat ons mekaar inderdaad nodig het.
Dit begin vandag!
Sterkte, en groetnis,
Ken Maud
Stigtings Direkteur – Waterberg Tourism NPC
