Swimmers aim to raise awareness of water crisis
Globally renowned extreme swimmers, Andrew Chin (45), and Toks Viviers (52), will take to the polluted Wilge River at Harrismith in the Free State on 6 January and swim over ten days to Frankfort, 200km downstream.
Andrew Chin and Toks Viviers
The swim is organised by Rivers for Life which raises awareness of South Africa's water crisis and urges action. Chin is planning an extreme swim in a major river in each province as part of the initiative.
They will be accompanied by a small support crew and will camp overnight on the river bank.
"We're using more water than is available and fast running out," said Chin. "Our waste water treatment is in a critical state - over a third of our drinkable water is wasted through leaking pipes and taps and many of our rivers are polluted from sewage and toxic run-off. We hope our swims will ignite action to address these issues.".
The swim's main sponsor, Aqua for Life - which develops safe drinking water solutions - has donated ten filtered water systems to disadvantaged schools and clinics along the swim route. The systems would each provide safe drinking water for up to 200 children for three to four years.
Follow Chin and Viviers' progress and contribute to Rivers for Life via Facebook.
