Various water experts were called upon during a town hall meeting held by the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) this week to offer suggestions as to how residents could get uninterrupted potable water. Picture: Bongani Mbatha/ Independent Newspapers
Durban — A town hall meeting held by the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) this week to address the water crisis in Durban turned out to be just another talk shop.
This was the reaction from ratepayers following the meeting on Wednesday, when various water experts were called upon to offer suggestions as to how residents could get uninterrupted potable water.
The gathering was also attended by various organisations and civic movements.
Durban has experienced high levels of water disruption since the April 2022 floods, which caused severe damage to the water infrastructure.
As a result, the water flow citywide has been affected and residents have found themselves without water for extended periods of time.
Jay Govender, the secretary of the Tongaat Ratepayers Association, said they had not been informed about the meeting and only found out about it less than an hour before it started, through a member of the community.
Govender said this was not the first time that ratepayers had experienced communication issues with the SAHRC.
She said: “We were billed for 36 months between 2020 and 2023, yet, for eight months, Tongaat didn’t have a drop of water.
“So that is totally inaccurate and unacceptable.
“In a meeting in uMhlanga a few weeks ago, we learnt of R1.2 billion being budgeted for the current year to restore all our water issues.
“As ratepayers, we want to be included in the implementation of that budget for obvious reasons,” said Govender.
“Another issue is that of the billing system – it is a nightmare.
“(Owners of) low-cost homes, those valued at under R20 000, have suffered and have also been billed heavily,” she said.
uMhlanga Ratepayers and Residents Association chairperson Terri MacLarty said they were also not informed about the meeting.
She also referred to the meeting hosted by the association last month, which Water and Sanitation Minister Senzo Mchunu attended.
MacLarty said: “On February 15, we had a meeting and we were advised that there is not enough water to supply the whole city and that this could go on till 2027.
“I have written to the mayor, the head of water and the speaker of council to confirm the issues raised at the same public meeting.
“We raised the issue of a lack of water, mentioned the issue of sabotage, and also discussed irregular billing,” she said.
“The billing is out of sync and people are charged exorbitantly, with air locks pushing the meters.
“That needs to be rectified,” MacLarty said.
MacLarty added that there has been a legal precedent where a municipality cannot charge for water in arrears and therefore billing errors need to be written off.
“We are questioning whether or not the city is really running out of water or if there is negligence and/or sabotage at play.”
The president of the eThekwini Ratepayers and Residents Association, Ish Prahladh, said the infrastructure had not deteriorated overnight, but over time.
“Now the hard-working people of eThekwini are being deprived of a paid service.
“The billion-rand question is: Who are the heads of department, managers and leadership that will be taken to task?
“What will come of this commission, or is this another wasted expenditure on a talk shop?
“Residents of eThekwini do not want words and empty promises.
“We want action, we want water,” Prahladh said.
The SAHRC is expected to hold a follow-up meeting in the next few months to assess the progress.
Sunday Tribune