The City of Johannesburg plans to introduce a system which will compel households which can afford it to pay for the free basic water which is enjoyed by all living in the city.
This is the proposal that the council is discussing on Thursday in its meeting as tariffs for the 2017/18 financial year will be presented for deliberations.
In his statement prepared for council‚ executive mayor Herman Mashaba said: “Given the scarcity of water in Johannesburg‚ the huge inequality in our city‚ and the massive infrastructure and service delivery backlog we believe it is in the best interests of our residents to follow this national trend“.
“Therefore‚ from the 2017/18 financial year‚ only indigent households registered on the City’s Expanded Social Package Programme will receive a free basic water allocation of between 10kl and 15kl per month‚ depending on their score on the prevailing COJ Poverty Index.
“Domestic users who do not qualify as indigents will see a modest increase of R42.84 per month to their water bill as a result of this change‚” Mashaba said.
If the proposed move is adopted after public consultation‚ the city expects to generate an estimated R320 million more in revenue on an annual basis.
In its proposal the city wants to increase of water and sanitation tariff by 12.2%‚ electricity by 2.28%‚ refuse removal‚ 6.1% and property rates 6.2%.
These increases are for the 2017/18 financial and are being released for public consultation.
“It must be stated from the outset that we have done everything in our power to keep the tariff increases at bare minimum while ensuring we maintain the city’s financial sustainability‚” Mashaba said.
Cape Town mayor Patricia De Lille presented her tariff proposals on Wednesday. She proposed water tariff hikes and said rates will go up by 5%‚ electricity by 3‚34%‚ refuse collection by 6‚51% and water by 17‚25%. — TMG Digital
Days of free basic water for all in Joburg could be numbered
The City of Johannesburg plans to introduce a system which will compel households which can afford it to pay for the free basic water which is enjoyed by all living in the city.
This is the proposal that the council is discussing on Thursday in its meeting as tariffs for the 2017/18 financial year will be presented for deliberations.
In his statement prepared for council‚ executive mayor Herman Mashaba said: “Given the scarcity of water in Johannesburg‚ the huge inequality in our city‚ and the massive infrastructure and service delivery backlog we believe it is in the best interests of our residents to follow this national trend“.
“Therefore‚ from the 2017/18 financial year‚ only indigent households registered on the City’s Expanded Social Package Programme will receive a free basic water allocation of between 10kl and 15kl per month‚ depending on their score on the prevailing COJ Poverty Index.
“Domestic users who do not qualify as indigents will see a modest increase of R42.84 per month to their water bill as a result of this change‚” Mashaba said.
If the proposed move is adopted after public consultation‚ the city expects to generate an estimated R320 million more in revenue on an annual basis.
In its proposal the city wants to increase of water and sanitation tariff by 12.2%‚ electricity by 2.28%‚ refuse removal‚ 6.1% and property rates 6.2%.
These increases are for the 2017/18 financial and are being released for public consultation.
“It must be stated from the outset that we have done everything in our power to keep the tariff increases at bare minimum while ensuring we maintain the city’s financial sustainability‚” Mashaba said.
Cape Town mayor Patricia De Lille presented her tariff proposals on Wednesday. She proposed water tariff hikes and said rates will go up by 5%‚ electricity by 3‚34%‚ refuse collection by 6‚51% and water by 17‚25%. — TMG Digital
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