Free-pay or pre-paid meters have been installed in 98 percent of houses in the pilot area Phiri, as part of the ZAR 450 million (EUR 58.4 million) water infrastructure project in Soweto to repair and upgrade reticulation networks. 6,000 litres per month are provided for free. When exceeding this amount, residents need to buy additional credits. While some residents are happy with the new system: “with the new metres, I know in advance how much I'm going to pay, and if I feel I don't have enough money, I simply cut down on water consumption," says Sophie Mahologela; others are still opposing the system. Hundreds of people from a diversity of backgrounds came together on 16 Nov to protest the installation of pre-paid water meters in Soweto and other townships. The march was organized by the coalition Organizations Against Prepaid Water. A memorandum [1] was delivered to Mayor Amos Masondo, charging Johannesburg Water (JW) and the Council with specifically targeting the poor.

[1] Memorandum on Pre-Paid Water System - full text

Related news: South Africa: campaign against pre-paid meters intensifies, Source Weekly, 24 Sep 2003; South Africa: protest against water meters and rise in water tariffs, Source Weekly, 13 Jul 2004.

Contacts: Jameel Chand, JW, jchand@jwater.co.za, http://www.johannesburgwater.co.za ; Anti Privatisation Forum, fax: +27 (011) 339 4123, http://www.apf.org.za/

Source: Bua News, 18 Nov 2004; South Africa Independent Media Centre News, see 'Ons soek die Mayor'.

Tags: financing