No water fines if residents save water
Heated meeting between residents and municipality to clarify the water billing system.
It was decided at Wednesday evening’s emergency water meeting called by the Dolphin Coast Residents and Ratepayers Association that all water fines will be written off on condition that people save more water.
Sembcorp Siza Water (SSW) managing director, Shyam Misra and Ilembe district municipality Mayor, Welcome Mdabe gave in to DOCRRA chairman, Dave Charles’ push to cancel the fines. It was also decided to give the community 10 days to come up with a viable alternative to fines.
Ballito Estates’ Barbara Shingler said her Ballito Estates properties amassed a total of R3,63 million in water fines and she questioned the legality of these fines, based on municipal bylaws.
This opened the floodgates to an outpour of questions and concerns including why SSW charged VAT on the fines, why the community has to pay for water authorities’ failure to foresee a water shortage and the amounts of water used by contractors.
Eyebrows were raised when it became apparent that Ilembe municipality had no external auditing process but handled all their own audits internally.
After taking a beating from angry customers, Misra slammed back with water usage statistics showing noncompliance with water restrictions.
“All the water belongs to government,” said Misra, defending water authorities’ jurisdiction over water.
He also said it was people’s own fault that they got fined.
“I am not using the water, you are,” he said.
Misra said by not complying to water restrictions, residents have robbed the Hazelmere Dam of two months’ storage.
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