REDUCTION IN THE CITY’S WATER TARIFFS MUST BE SOME PIPE DREAM

THE ANC must be living in Lotusland, or your reporter has written a kite-flyer (“ANC claims victory in high water tariffs lawsuit”, Cape Argus, September 29).

Nowhere in the report is there any indication that the City has agreed to reduce the punitive tariffs – apart from the new “reduced” rate that took effect from October 1, unless the ANC is trying to take credit for that?

The report states that an unnamed City official will be dealing with the matter. In addition,” they are inclined to oppose that part of the application” – not cutting off residents’ water supply.

The ANC brought the action on behalf of four residents. What about the more than 7 000 people who signed the petition launched by Sandra Dickson of stopcapetown? She lives in the “leafy” suburb of Brackenfell, so perhaps her efforts don’t count?

Raelene Arendse, the mayco member for corporate governance, said legal services were studying the four applications. There is no reference to any reduction in water tariffs, except in the headline.

In plain English, Adiel Ismail is farting against thunder if he believes the City will take any notice of his repeated complaints about the high water tariffs and how the DA is trying to make the ratepayers believe they will be charging less for water (“Reduced water tariffs but a mirage”, Cape Argus letters, September 26).

What he should rather do, if he hasn’t yet, is join Dickson and sign her petition. The fact is, the DA is gouging the honest ratepayers while thousands of debtors, including businesses, escape the net.

Ismail mentions the water pipe tariff whereby, the DA says, 95% of Capetonians will pay R115 at the most. Right. There’s a more iniquitous charge: the R150 flat rate for electricity if you have a property worth more than R1 million.

All the flat charges are supposed to go towards infrastructure, but no one has said what the size of a pipe has to do with the price of eggs in China. If you own a mansion in Camps Bay or a “pondokkie” in Salt River, you will pay the R115 water pipe connection fee, which goes against the principle of Batho Pele.

When Dan Plato was selected to replace Patricia de Lille as mayor, the Argus quoted him as saying the first thing he would do when he took office was look at the rates bill. I’ll believe that when pigs fly. ON SEPTEMBER 27, I decided to resign from all the community issues I was asked to fight on their behalf.

The comments and the emails I have written to the newspapers – a total of 333 letters – were published.

I wanted to make a difference and uplift those who could not pick up their constitutional sword to fight for their rights, and those downtrodden.

I succeeded, as many can testify, but it is now time for others.

I want to thank every official of the many government departments for bearing with me, and to the many reporters and newspapers that lifted arms in community issues I brought to their attention.

I have deleted past and present correspondence as I close this chapter. I will be concentrating on my family, my seven grandchildren and my hobby of fishing. So to one and all, thank you.