Deon Beelders, Vasco
What a rational, fantastic and enlightening read. The easily-understandable article by Janine Myburgh of the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry (“Politicians at fault”, Northern News, December 13) was an eye-opener to all who can read – except to bureaucratic officials of the City of Cape Town; whose noses are so deeply entrenched in the thoughts that they cannot comprehend reason or logo; except their own twisted and depraved ideas.
And then the autocratic Patricia de Lille proudly hijacks the ANC’s wealth tax concept and imposes it on the privileged who live in the metro.
After more than a year, of preaching to the citizens, threatening and imposing restrictions amid all the infighting, squabbling and scandals within council, she has the temerity to wait for the final session of council before announcing the “drought charge”; based, as usual, on rate-related valuations on residential and commercial properties.
And draconically stating it would last until the 2020/1 financial year. Besides which, after stumbling around with every conceivable type of excuse, she stated on a RSG radio programme that research into the problem of water shortage had been ongoing for the past 15 years.
If so, why the catastrophic situation we face today.
In fact, if this is factual, then the entire City should resign or be booted out. All we have to show is boreholes, and Ms De Lille’s reasoning that the billions of rands generated from Joe Soap is for our survival.
In the same interview she also stated that the City was paying for water in the squatter camps and informal settlements. I challenge her or any lackey in council-to reveal where the secret funding for this cost is coming from. I always understood that the income generated to council was from residences and commerce.
And further, gross water restrictions will be enforced as from Monday January 1.
I mean no public participation; no warning of a couple of months; just a blatant edict by a so-called democratic party.
The result of the draconian moves by council to keep the normal flow to premises, or to lower it, or cut off supplies, totally has resulted in an unbelievable number of burst water pipes, which again resulted in untold quantities of water flowing freely; for hours in most cases and this was the result of the moronic decision of council to go along with Ms De Lille. Instead of bringing some sanity into the chambers. The blatant fact is that infrastructure has suffered grossly from the altering supply of water.
But of course, after 15 years of research, our elected officials cannot comprehend such. Then of course, the City has imposed restrictions, on the amount of water extracted from boreholes. Yet again,with 20 000 boreholes at present in use, people believe there is unrestricted supplies of underground water.
Of course, there are problems facing us, but the manner in which council is dealing with the awaiting catastrophe is alienating more and more people by the day.
Bold headlines in the media recently indicated that Capetonians have turned their backs on water restrictions, as over 100 million litres of water have been used over that which council has designated. Thus, for the umpteenth time, the Day Zero date was changed.
Well, I promise not everybody can get things right after 15 years of research, but if the present bunch truly believe they have done their best; I suggest they are moronically deceiving themselves.
And further, their distribution of water at key points, with all its ramifications, has not even been thought of. In short, could the ANC have done worse?
I appeal to citizens, to comment on the proposed levy before Friday January 12; so that the City can come to its senses; just as it was jolted into reality when it endeavoured to impose a R147 levy on properties.