Residents win battle for free water
2001-12-11 20:47
Sakhile Mokoena
Nelspruit - Rural residents of Mpumalanga's capital have won the right to receive 6 000 litres of free water per household per month after a bitter six-month defiance campaign.
The free water forms part of national government policy, but will be granted to residents of Mbombela before anyone else in South Africa to quell opposition to the country's first major commercialisation of basic water services.
Commercialisation concessionaire, the Greater Nelspruit Utility Company (GNUC), initially resisted demands for at least 6 000 litres of free water and instead began cutting all water to local rates defaulters in June.
The PAC led a defiance campaign, forcibly reconnecting residents' water and picketing GNUC offices.
GNUC, a joint venture between British company Biwater and black empowerment group Sivukile, threatened court action against the PAC, but backtracked on Tuesday and promised to provide 25 litres of free water per day to all residents from January 1, 2002.
GNUC stressed, however, that it would simultaneously implement stringent credit control to all water used above that amount.
"Although the 6 000 litres are for free, residents will have to pay for water sanitation services and consumption above this basic amount," confirmed Mbombela municipality spokesperson Delia Oosthuizen.
"The Mbombela council resolved that the policy would only be successful if stringent credit controls are applied in case of the system misuse."
The council has also begun removing all illegal water connections and will review unpaid arrears against payments made in the first half of next year, she added.
No free water will be provided to businesses. - AENS
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