Richard Chaka writes; 

Let me hasten to point out that, with this plea, I DO NOT advocate for a “FLAT RATE” but that our people should take some form of responsibility to ensure water supply remains consistent.

Distribution of water is a scientific process which involves pumping and certain levels of pressure for all to receive water in their traps. This pressure is required   mostly for high lying areas of our topography.

In order to control the amount of water we get to supply our people, Rand Water increases or reduces this pressure as part of credit control to customers/Municipalities which owe them.

To this end, because of non-payment, for many reasons which are mostly genuine, and that households in our Townships do not have meters to measure and pay for the water they use, people have not been paying for water thus adding to the debt that Emfuleni has with Rand Water.

According to what I know, ELM gets, every month, a bill of over R83million for water from Rand Water, yet for water, ELM collects less than R40million. This, coupled with water losses because of aged infrastructure, get your Municipality into serious debt with Rand Water. And the interest they are charging on outstanding debt is not helping either.

As a measure of credit control, and to force ELM to pay, then Rand Water would embark on pressure reduction on water supplied to ELM. When that happens, unfortunately most of our high lying Township areas like Beverly Hills, Evaton, parts of Sebokeng like Zone 7, 12, 13 including Lake Side suffer and their taps become dry.

It is therefore my PLEA that every household in our Township at least pay a minimum of R200 to the Municipality as part of their contribution towards water they use. That way, Rand Water’s debt will reduce and they shall keep pressure at 100% enabling ELM to, without fail, bring water to your tap.

At some point, we need to re-establish our well known culture of payment to help Municipality to deliver services. Let us begin with our contribution towards the water we use.

Please note: This plea is not that of ELM but that of Richard Chaka as a concerned citizen. I appeal to all community leaders, Pastors and business leaders, political leaders, Councillors to spread this message as part of an initiative to revive the good habit of paying and stimulating our economy by creating positivity in the Vaal.

It also remains my call, and of government for our people to register as indigent as part of helping government to help our people who cannot afford to pay.

My name is Richard Chaka, your servant. It is with love and a humble heart I am making this plea.