It’s a widely known fact that Cape Town is facing its worst drought in history. It’s a topic that has been discussed ad nauseam and spread across many international headlines proclaiming Cape Town as the first major city in the world to run out of water.
One of the biggest fears for people living in Cape Town is having to queue for their daily ration of 25 litres of water per person when Day Zero hits.
Capetonians have adapted to the situation well, all things considered, employing tactics such as using buckets in the shower to collect grey water which is used to flush the toilet, skipping shower days, letting it ‘mellow’ before flushing and abandoning the bath. In addition to this, washing your car is strictly forbidden and dry shampoo or baby powder is a great alternative to a hair-wash. Businesses have even resorted to switching off their taps and opting for hand sanitiser instead. Many of the simple daily tasks we take for granted are unthinkable in Cape Town.
Through this effort, Day Zero has been pushed out to 2019, but Cape Town isn’t in the clear yet. Water restrictions are still in full force, with daily limits of 50 litres per person, water-saving needs to be maintained and there is still more to be done.
Always inspired by modern living and its challenges, MINI wanted to help find a solution and have partnered with Getaway to create ‘Water-Smart Getaways’ – an initiative aimed at helping Capetonians save water in the city while enjoying the water ‘indulgences’ they’ve been deprived of.
MINI Water-Smart Getaways are situated in ‘water safe zones,’ just outside of Cape Town and are specially packaged for individuals’ preferences. Some of the Getaways to choose from are: ‘10 Magnificent Hair-Washing Getaways,’ ‘7 Glorious Car-Washing Getaways,’ ‘12 Guilt-Free Laundry Load Getaways, and ‘10 Heavenly Bath-Soaking Getaways.’
Imagine flicking your clean hair while walking on the beach, seeing the real colour of your car again, the sweet smell of freshly washed clothes on your body and the relaxing feeling of soaking in a bath until you’re soft and wrinkly, all in a beautiful place you’ve never been to before!
Water-Smart Getaways are the perfect excuse to escape the city, explore and go on an adventure and there’s no better vehicle to do it with than the MINI Countryman. Equipped with four-wheel drive and a ruggedly handsome design, the MINI Countryman is the ultimate all-rounder and will give you plenty of water-saving stories to tell.
Each getaway offers an estimation of how many litres each water-related ‘activity’ is saving the city. To put things in perspective, a Water-Smart Getaway weekend for two is estimated to save the city around 770 litres of water, multiply that by a couple hundred people and it’s literally saving the city bucket loads of water.
The Water crisis has also had a marked effect on tourism with many tourists and domestic travellers cancelling their trips. Tourism in South Africa is estimated to be worth more than R400 billion or about 9.3 percent of South Africa’s gross domestic product with 1 on 22 people working in tourism. And MINI Water-Smart Getaways offer the perfect solution.
If you’ve been looking for an excuse to explore some of the local spots you’ve always wanted to visit, now is your perfect opportunity. Treat yourself to all the water indulgences you’ve been dreaming of. Book a trip, get in your car and be a tourist in your own province. Go on!
Book your MINI Water-Smart Getaway today! #MINIGetaway #AddStories
Click here to see the full list of MINI Water-Smart Getaways.
