Newlands East pensioner restricts baths due to water billing woes
Residents in Newlands East say many people have been left burdened and stressed by eThekwini's water billing challenges.
The community in ward 11 has bemoaned the municipality's decision to backdate payments, after reversing the provision of free basic water. A protest march was held yesterday. This 75-year-old woman, who took part in the demonstration, says she feels helpless.
"I'm a pensioner and my heart gets sore when I think of the high bills we have to pay now. I'm sitting here trying to sell things to keep my husband and myself alive, our pensions are not enough. We hardly bath, I sometimes only bath twice a week."
The municipality said giving some residents free water for several years was done in error. Resident Graham Gaines calls it an administrative blunder.
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He is with the Newlands East Crisis Committee which organised yesterday's march.
"The municipality has been negligent in not charging us and now suddenly they putting this bill on us and they are saying we must pay it. How can we pay a bill of R40 000 and then be told to come in and acknowledge this debt and sign a form of agreement to pay it? We don't want to acknowledge this debt because this is their problem from their side. We got pensioners who only earn R2 000 and they must take on debt because someone else's negligence. The municipality has failed us."
The committee handed over a memorandum of grievances to councillor Ellen Peterson who will submit to the municipality.
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