Payment for stolen water meters unfair practice

Polokwane Municipality’s insistence that consumers should pay R1 600 for the replacement of stolen water meters located outside their premises will be challenged during the municipal council’s meeting that is scheduled for Wednesday.
Democratic Alliance (DA) representative in the council Franco Marx confirmed on Tuesday that he has given notice to Municipal Manager Dikgape Makobe of his intention to table a written question regarding this anomaly.
“It came to our attention as ward councillors that there is an increase in the number of water meters stolen in the municipal area,” Marx said and quoted Section 95 of the Municipal Systems Act that requires the municipality to ensure that the consumption by users be measured via accurate and verifiable metering systems, thus placing an obligation on the municipality to provide the meters.
Marx emphasised that the meters therefore belong to the municipality and that if they are placed outside the consumers’ premises, they cannot be insured or safeguarded by the resident and the risk of ownership rests on the municipality.
“If the same principle is applied for stolen electricity cables, that would imply that the municipality must require all the residents affected by stolen electricity cables to replace and pay for them, which does not happen,” Marx argued.
Marx concluded by saying that the municipality should therefore either ensure that all water meters be placed inside premises or pay for the replacement of meters that are located on municipal property.
In a related incident a man was arrested by the Community Policing Forum (CPF) in Bendor on Monday evening and, according to CPF spokesperson Johan Retters, handed over to the Police. Police spokesperson Lesiba Ramoshaba was unable to confirm the arrest at time of going to print.

Story: BARRY VILJOEN
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