Residents claim ‘hefty’ water bills are illegal

THE CITY of Cape Town and the Cape Town Community Housing Company (CTCHC) will soon find themselves in court again, this time for allegedly ignoring the municipality’s own water by-laws and for forcing hefty water bills on to the poor.

Ihsaan Abrahams of the Harmony Village Residents Association (Mitchells Plain) said the residents would soon meet with their legal representatives.

“We have approached the City on several occasions and, to date, they have not responded to us. Residents now want to initiate a court process on the matter.

“What became of the daily free water? How does the City’s policy affect these RDP houses, and why can’t residents get transfers of ownership on their homes even though they have settled (payments). Is this another tactic they (City) are using to get the residents to settle the water bills?” questioned Abrahams.

The water bills were addressed to the owner of the properties (CTCHC) but were delivered to residents of Harmony Village and surrounding areas, which contradicted the City’s water by-law. The by-law states that the owner of the property is responsible for ensuring compliance in matters relating to the water installation, and the maintenance thereof, while the consumer is responsible for wastage and abuse thereof.

Residents argued that while the City was aware of the law, and how residents were misled with promises of free 350l of daily water when they moved in, as promised in letters by the CTCHC in 2014, they (City) continue to entertain the situation by not doing anything to hold the CTCHC accountable.

“The person who should pay for the water bills is the one who owns the property (house) and in this case, it is the CTCHC,” said another resident, Cody Williams.

The CTCHC’s David Masimila said he was currently dealing with this matter with the area ward councillors.

Mayco member for Finance Ian Neilson said the City was engaging with the CTCHC, looking into the residents’ accounts and that they should benefit from its debt write-off initiative.

| SUPPLIED THERE was jubilation when Harmony Village housing beneficiaries heard they would get 350 litres of water a day for free in 2014. Six years later, the beneficiaries are shocked to be getting water bills, some billed over R100 000.