Water Crisis or Moral Crisis

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Dear Concerned Citizens by Mogamat Faadiel Arnold “Water Crisis or Moral Crisis?”

My meeting with the Deputy Mayor

Date 13 June 2018

Revealed the following:

1.       1. Reduction in consumption of water, due to the request from the City to reduce water consumption is the reason for the hike in tariffs to regain the loss in income, because the Municipality is running a business with water. So we act on a request and get fined for it.

2.       2. 30% of the water supply from Dams are lost due to underground leaks in council pipes, that is why they have reduced the water pressure to allow them to fix these pipes – the leakage from the dams have now been reduced to 15% and our showers still cannot work.

3.       3. The tariff hikes will be reduced when the rain comes.

4.      4.  Presently, despite the heavy rains – council has not only kept the tariffs, but has now an extra levy, over and above increased tariffs to make up for the financial losses during the “drought”

5.      5.  The Steenbras Dam was constantly kept full by pumping water from other reservoirs to ensure water supply for the city. Thus the needed dam was always full to supply the city.

6.       6. The water from the reservoir in Molteno – which had lots of water, was drained so fast that we were left without water the Friday before the meeting – which he said will be investigated, but no answer has been forthcoming.

7.       7.The water tariffs and blanket levies, even on no water and electricity usage, is unconstitutional, unethical even within basic business law – you cannot charge a person for something he did not buy

8.       8. The picture that was shown on TV to drive the ‘Water Crisis’ was only from one supply dam that was probably linked to the diverted water which some farmers ‘stole” from the city

9.      9. The triple tariff, during the rainy season, was based on the water usage of consumers based on last year’s consumption in the same month – when there was no ‘water restriction’. This estimation is because they do not have the staff to read meters every month, but are working on that  

110.   Only 46% of the allocation from national government for the water crisis was used.

111.   The court ruled against the DA for ousting the Mayor and stated that the provincial government should spend more time on the water crisis than on political wrangling.

112.   The Constitution of South Africa instructs provincial governments and municipalities to ensure that the citizens have a sustainable water supply. The “Water Crisis” was thus a local government mismanagement. They are making the citizens pay for their mismanagement . That is unprofessional, unconstitutional and unethical.

113.   A water crisis is when the rivers have dried up and the reservoirs are empty. The Liesbeek  and Black Rivers have always been full and so were the four reservoirs on Table Mountain. Water department officials related to me that there was enough water for the city bowl, but its water was drain from it to supply other areas.

114.   The DA has failed to provide adequate water and electricity to the citizens of the Cape and also continuously apply unjust by-laws that violate the constitution. Who will vote  DA?

115.   Are civil approaches less valuable than violent protests caught in media?

116.   Research shows that when water and electricity charges are placed on the Rates account then personal property is in danger of being usurped by tariff manipulations.