An Eastridge ouma is fed up with the City of Cape Town’s water bills, after she had a new water meter installed.
Fatiema Petersen, 69, from Buffalo Street, says the new meter was installed two months ago - and she now owes the City a whopping R4500.
“Almost two months ago they installed this meter. When I received my bill in June I saw they are charging me R901.37 a month for water,” she says.
She couldn’t afford to pay the R900 but she got an even bigger skrik this month when the bill rose to R4500.
“ Is die mense mal? We are only four people in the house. Hoe kan my water so baie wees? Moet ek dan nou die hele Mitchells Plain se water betaal?” the frustrated Fatiema says.
She insists that they have no leakages.
“My daughter has to walk up and down to their Promenade office to ask this people what the problem is, I am a pensioner I cannot afford this amount,” Fatiema adds.
Shariefa Petersen, 46, says they have been trying to save where they can.
“We don’t use a lot of water, we shower, [and] we do washing once a week. I just don’t understand why our water bill could be so high,” she says.
And it appears the family is not alone in their plight.
Mayoral Committee Member for Utility Services, Alderman Ernest Sonnenberg, says this matter and many similar ones in Eastridge are being investigated.
“We cannot comment on these cases without first investigating them. We are currently looking into the accounts in question and will respond once investigations conclude,” Sonnenberg said.