Cape Flats residents are calling for a moratorium on Water Management Devices (WMDs) while the City of Cape Town conducts a forensic investigation into the controversial meters.
The Cape Town Water Crisis Coalition (WCC) met with City officials, Deputy Mayor Ian Neilson and the City’s Xanthea Limberg last week to air their grievances.
Faizel Davids, of the WCC, says this follows a flood of complaints from residents who are gatvol of the devices popping, causing fresh water to flow into the streets, leaving them without water and high municipal bills.
In recent months residents in Bishop Lavis, Tafelsig in Mitchells Plain and Manenberg have chased away City contractors installing the device.
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.
Earlier this month the Daily Voice revealed that during a DA caucus meeting, councillors called for a forensic investigation into the meters.
Davids says: “While this investigation is under way we want a moratorium on the installation of these devices. They are defective, they are not properly calibrated and the contract companies are double-dipping by charging for replacement devices which are still under guarantee.”
But Limberg says they are unable to say whether a moratorium was possible as the City has to follow standard forensic investigation processes.