The Daily Voice can reveal that an investigation is underway into the controversial blue water meters that have Cape Town residents up in arms.
The news will be welcomed by homeowners who have been billed thousands of rands for the installation of the devices, which they claim are faulty and keep breaking.
Cape Town councillors have now called for a forensic investigation into the tenders for the Water Management Devices (WMDs).
Residents say they are
gatvol of the devices popping, causing fresh water to flow into the streets,
leaving them without water and moerse municipal bills.
The devices are being installed at properties where water use is deemed too high, amid the ongoing drought, and the homeowner is billed just over R4 000 for the installation.
The tenders are held by two companies, Aqualoc and Sakikhaya.
The Daily Voice can also reveal that Aqualoc’s contract had been investigated by the City a few years ago, but these findings were never made public.
In recent weeks, residents have started to chase away City contractors who arrive to install the devices, and in Wetton, residents also allegedly moered a City supervisor during a confrontation.
Faizel Davids, of the Cape Town Water Crisis Coalition, says he has been bombarding Mayco Member for Water and Waste Services, Xanthea Limberg, with complaints he’s received from residents regarding faulty meters, unfair billing and questions over the SABS approval of the devices.
“I attack her every day to show her we know what we are talking about and are not thumb-sucking the complaints,” says Davids.
He says on Monday, she sent him a text saying “the DA caucus had called for an investigation into the devices”.
This was confirmed by a DA councillor, who spoke to the Daily Voice on condition of anonymity.
“We were discussing water when a councillor raised the complaints with the water meters. A substantial amount of councillors also raised the complaints they received and the caucus agreed we must call for an investigation. The DA will now submit a motion to council asking for the tenders to be investigated,” the councillor says.
Davids says the coalition has welcomed the call for the investigation.
“We believe there is corruption with the tenders.”
The Daily Voice sent a query to the City on Tuesday. Officials acknowledged the query, but failed to reply by last night.
Among the questions we posed were:
Can you confirm there has been a call for an investigation?
Will this investigation look at both contracts the City currently has with Aqualoc and Sakikhaya?
How much are these two contracts for the WMDs worth?
In comment given to the Daily Voice on 14 February, the speaker confirmed a probe into the Aqualoc deal with the City had been completed a few years ago. What were the findings?
Did this investigation indicate any issues with the meters?
How many meters have been installed in Cape Town?