Three-day water outages for Polofields residents in Waterfall City

On June 1, Balwin, the estate and residents association confirmed to have obtained a court order against the city to immediately reconnect the water supply to Polofields.

June 12, 2023

Sphiwe Masilela 2 minutes read

A basin in the Polofields estate is filled with brown water during the three-day water cut off by Joburg Water.

Balwin Properties is accusing Joburg Water of ‘unlawful and bullying tactics’ after the water supply to its development, Polofields Lifestyle Estate, was cut off.

Residents in the estate were without water for three days and to restore the estate’s supply, Balwin in conjunction with the Polofields Residents Association, launched an urgent High Court application against Joburg Water on May 31.

On June 1, Balwin confirmed that a court order against the water utility was granted and the water supply to Polofields was subsequently restored.
Balwin CEO Steve Brookes said, “We have thousands of residents once again left without water which is unacceptable. In the interest of our residents, we will fight these unlawful bullying tactics to the full extent of the law.”
In a consolidated statement, Balwin and the association claimed the water disconnection was not due to Balwin or the Polofields Residents Association failing to honour their water bill.

Water bottles are filled with brown water from the water supply at Polofields estate during the three-day water cut-off.

This comes after the City had conducted a Buya Mthetho operation on May 30 which saw Joburg Water and JMPD cut off the water supply to various businesses in the region.
City’s spokesperson Nthatisi Modingoane said, “This was after the City disconnected water supply to eight properties across both regions [Region E and A which includes Waterfall], which collectively owe the City around R80.7 million on unpaid municipal services.”.
Brookes claimed this was false and misleading information regarding the estate.

“We further confirm that all collections on utilities are paid monthly to the Polofields Residents Association by the metering company and all current amounts owed to the City are up to date. The reason for the unlawful disconnection is due to an ongoing dispute over historical charges where the City billed your water usage on the commercial tariff and not the residential tariff,” added Brookes.

“Due to the ongoing dispute and the lack of pre-termination notice, the disconnection of services is unlawful. Despite Balwin’s, the association, and legal advisors’ best efforts to engage with Johannesburg Water on the matter, the utility provider remains unresponsive.”
Joburg Water’s Nombuso Shabalala said they were not at liberty to respond to the allegations as they received a directive from the City regarding water cuts and referred Midrand Reporter to the City.

Kgamanyane Maphologela, director of customer communications for the City’s Group Finance Department, said the City was on a quest to implement its credit control and debt collection policy.
“The City had warned hundreds of affected business customers beginning of May, to come forward to settle their huge municipal debts before the City embarked on the drive to cut their water and electricity supply.”