Zille accuses ANC of faking water cuts

By Khanyisa Tabata
02 October 2009

Premier Helen Zille has accused the ANC of using underhand tactics to try to gain control of parts of the province.

In an open letter to Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Sicelo Shiceka, Zille charged that a local ANC committee in Freedom Park, Mitchell’s Plain, had plotted to paint the City of Cape Town as ineffective in delivering basic services.

During his recent visit to the area, Shiceka was told of alleged “water cut-offs”. But Zille visited the area herself and said people assured her that the free water provided by the city was sufficient for their needs.

It is against council policy to cut people's water off. We put in free water meters for people who qualify on our poverty database, and this guarantees free basic water every day on full flow.

This system enables people to detect leaks and thus avoid high water bills. Where people refuse to respond to overdue bills, and reject having a water meter, they may be put onto a drip system. But they are not cut off, Zille said in a statement.