ANC objects to water limits

CAPETONIANS will have to turn their taps tight this summer, with a 30percent restriction in water use approved by the city council, despite objections from the ANC.

The additional 10 percent restriction comes into effect on Tuesday.

The council yesterday approved the tighter restrictions, despite an appeal from the ANC that the city’s water restrictions be reduced to 5 percent, particularly in poorer communities.

While the ACDP said it supported the restrictions, it felt it was a case of “too little, too late”.

As a norm, the city operates on a 10 percent water saving, increasing this to 20 percent in January.

Mayoral committee member for utilities Ernest Sonnenberg said the city had registered an 8percent saving in January, 12percent in February and 22 percent in March compared with the previous year.

But the savings had been negligible. Still, the ANC’s Simpiwe Nonkeyizana believed the 30percent restriction was unreasonable and the poor often spent their free daily allocation fighting fires in informal settlements.

He was supported by his caucus leader Xolani Sotashe, who suggested that if after three months the proposed 5percent restriction did not have the desired effect, the city could look at increasing it incrementally. “It can’t be one size fits all. There are people watering gardens and filling pools in affluent areas.”

But Sonnenberg said the ANC’s call was “irresponsible” and would “put everyone at risk”. – Lindsay Dentlinger