Watershed

Special Assignment investigates the rising tensions between communities within the platinum belt and the mining corporations - over the use and availability of water.

We visit the platinum mines from Marikana to the north western side of the Pilanesberg in Motlhabe village, with their rapidly urbanising communities, and examine the consequences of wall-to-wall mining applications on the supply and quality of water in this area that the government has said is already 120% allocated.

This looming water shortage also threatens the survival of the tourism industry some of which warns that a shortage of water is the single greatest threat to their continued ability to sustain, develop and grow business, to attract international tourists in the long term. What are the existential risks to international tourism destinations like Sun City and the Legacy Group of lodges?