Cape Town residents are standing together to oppose the so-called drought tax the City of Cape town is planning to impose from 1 February 2018.
The drought charge, according to STOP COCT (a group rallying against the tax), is based on the value of resident’s properties and moves away from a consumption-based charge for water.
“In 2017 the City of Cape Town already approved a similar daily surcharge on electricity which will add around R250 to an electricity bill before a light was switched on. The city is generally moving away from a consumption-based tariff system for both electricity and water,” STOP COCT said in a statement.
“To calculate the new water tax, use your current business or residential property’s rates account and calculate 10% from it. This will be added to your water account from 1 February 2018 on top of the consumption charge.”
The public participation process has been running from 5 December and comments are welcomed until 12 January 2018.
“We at STOP COCT are of the opinion that it is underhanded tactics on behalf of the City and we encourage all residents to get involved now before the closing date of 12 January 2018 to stop this new water tax,” according to the statement.
“The City of Cape Town has chosen to have the public participation process over the busy holiday season when many people will be away and not give the water tax much thought.”
STOP COCT created a unique website at www.dearcapetown.co.za which receives residents’ comments and routes them to the City of Cape Town individually.
According to their statement, STOP COCT believes that with this portal, residents have an easier route to have their objections heard by the City of Cape Town.
Each resident also receives proof that their comment has been received by the City.
A feature of the website is the live feed of comments made by the public – some of which reflect anger and frustration towards the city.
The group says in spite of “the difficult time chosen by CoCT for public participation”, “comments are flying in with over 2700 comments received so far” on the website portal www.dearcapetown.co.za.
The City previously responded in a statement that they are committed to finding alternative water sources.
“Due to the current drought, many Capetonians have restricted their water use to help save water. We appreciate your commitment and the huge effort you have made to save water.
We are working hard to make new water available, to help us through the drought,” the City of Cape Town had previously said.
The City said it had already doubled the output from the Atlantis aquifer, made water available from the Oranjezicht main springs, and were drilling abstraction boreholes into the Table Mountain Group Aquifer to supply the Steenbras catchment area.
The City says these projects are essential but expensive, hence the need for the proposed drought charge on property rates in 2018, “to help pay for these vital emergency water projects and will primarily also be used to ensure the water operations of the City remain available for all”.
If approved, the charge will be valid from 1 February 2018 until 30 June 2021.
“It is not a punitive charge, but is absolutely vital to fund our emergency water programme and water services, due to the steep decline in income. We cannot hope for the required help from the national government at the moment, and we simply do not have the money for what is required. We need to do this as ‘Team Cape Town’.”
According to David Bills, a resident responding to the proposed bill, several well-known water purifying companies have foreseen the possibility of this drought as far back as 10 years ago.
“One company even went as far as to present a cost and implementation structure as presently used in Isreal and the Council turned its back on all representations with the comment: ‘we are going to recycle water’. Due to this lack of foresight, you have thrust the total burden of water use onto homeowners with numerous increases in water and sewer tariffs the same as was done with electricity.”
He says if this new levy was required to build a large desalination plant, the City probably would have the backing of the total population of Cape Town.
“Your current proposal to tax ratepayers 10% on the value of their properties is penalising large properties into accepting the main burden for your [the City’s] shortcomings.
“A more equitable way would be to lodge a one-time levy on all taxpayers, not homeowners, showing the plans for the proposed desalination plant and a time frame for its completion and cost and with no delaying excuses. The desalination plant is not up for debate – it needs to be started right now there is no other alternative.”
For examples of how the proposed drought charge will apply to property values, and to comment on the drought charge, visit www.capetown.gov.za/haveyoursay before 12 January.
For additional queries about the drought charge, contact the City’s call centre on 0860 103 089.
The City of Cape Town could not be reached for comment in time for our web deadline.
