‘Unfair’ cut-off services leaves Joburg CBD residents high and dry

Thousands of Johannesburg inner city residents have been left without basic services such as water and electricity for days after the City of Joburg cut off services without any explanation, according to property owners.

One property owner, Ithemba Property, said the services were cut off “out of the blue” when city officials came to disconnect water at three of their buildings, leaving thousands of people without water supply.

The affected buildings are Purchase Place, Eyethu House and Rand Executive, which collectively house more than a 1,000 families.

“They did this without following their own bylaws. We had a court order interdicting them from cutting off services at these buildings due to unresolved account disputes as a result of incorrect charges and tariffs that dates back to years ago,” said Rian Reyneke, the joint group chief executive of Ithemba Property.

“We have been trying unsuccessfully through various forums to get this resolved with [the city].”

Reyneke said the families were left without running water for over two days and as the owners of the properties, they had to get water tankers to assist with water provision.

“We were left with no alternative but to approach the courts on an urgent basis to get a contempt order and to order the city to restore water supplies.

“The city did not obey after we got the ruling on Wednesday and we had to go back to court on Thursday for a second order and, only then, did the city restore the services,” he said.

However, when The Citizen visited one of the buildings yesterday, there was still no water and the residents of Purchase House building had to resort to buying water for cooking after water tankers had left on Thursday.

One of the affected residents, Otshepeng Monare from Purchase Place, said she has not had water since Tuesday and had been unable to go to work.

“This is not fair because as residents we pay for the water which we are not getting. So how am I supposed to carry on with life when I can’t even bath to go to work,” said Monare yesterday.

The 29-year-old, who lives with her younger brother, said life had become difficult after Tuesday as they could not even do basic chores such as cooking and using the toilet without going to a nearby building, which is also owned by Ithemba Property, to ask for water.

“This is absolute nonsense because we now have to go to another building around the corner to ask for water when these services are included in our rent. What are we paying for?” she asked. “This needs to be sorted out as we cannot go on living like this.”

In a letter dated 23 January from Ithemba Property to the residents of Purchase Place, the company assured residents that it had paid its municipal accounts and followed correct procedures to lodge queries where there were incorrect billings.

“This is unfair action by the [city] and clearly shows no care or respect for the families living in the city and (are) affected (by the lack of services),” said the company in a letter.

The city had not responded to questions at the time of going to press.

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