Maimane adds to Day Zero confusion
CONFUSION abounds over the date of Day Zero following DA leader Mmusi Maimane’s announcement that it will not happen this year, while the city council has pencilled in the dreaded day as August 27.
On Wednesday Maimane said Day Zero would not be implemented this year should Capetonians continue saving water and if the province received sufficient rainfall.
In stark contradiction, the city council said Day Zero could arrive on August 27 if water users don’t adhere to the restrictions and if there was no decent rainfall.
Xanthea Limberg, mayoral committee member for water and informal settlements, said restrictions would not be lifted.
“That’s why we believe Day Zero can be completely avoided if consumption levels remain low. Water restrictions will remain at Level 6B until we have a clearer understanding of rainfall and once we get more new water into the system from our augmentation schemes,” she said.
Abeeda Adams, of the Cape Town Water Coalition, said the fake Day Zero doomsday scenario was cancelled after collective efforts. “We have been saying since our inception in January that the ‘Day Zero’ calculation was suspect and unscientific. To this day, the DA has never revealed its exact ‘Day Zero’ formula and the assumptions used,” Adams said.
Sandra Dickson, member of the STOP COCT Justifiable Retribution, said: “I think this decision was taken hastily as there is an election looming in 2019. Once again party politics and electioneering are put above real facts and the interest of the people of Cape Town.”
Political parties all rebuked Maimane for saying Day Zero would not be implemented this year.
ACDP councillor Grant Haskin said just 16 days ago Day Zero was pushed out from June 4 to July 9.
“But in the past 16 days, even longer, no significant amounts of new water has been added to the system. It is massively suspicious and thoroughly undermines the city council’s and the DA’s credibility and ability to govern honestly and transparently.”
ANC provincial chairperson Khaya Magaxa said it was clear Day Zero never existed.
“Maimane thought he could fool the people of the Western Cape. They have taken people for a ride. They have used scare tactics against the people of this province. Instead of working on the problem and asking the national government for help, they decided to do things on their own. They have failed dismally.”
EFF Western Cape chairperson Bernard Josephs said: “We all knew that this was never going to happen. It’s silly politics the DA is playing, but they are going to feel the pain in 2019.”