The City of Cape Town and the Schotsche Kloof Body Corporate held a meeting on Wednesday, 17 June, to resolve the growing water woes at the Schotsche Kloof flats, better known as the 191-unit sectional title scheme.

According to reports, some residents have been without running water for the past month after the municipality restricted supply to the building’s bulk water meters due to unpaid debts.

According to the City, the Schotsche Kloof Body Corporate’s overdue debt is currently at R17 million, with an average R170 000 monthly bill and only R50 000 total paid to date this year.

In a press statement, the City announced that water supply had been restricted in light of the “unsustainable accumulating debt, non-payment” and Body Corporate “not honouring payment agreements”.

Standpipes in close proximity to fire hydrants and residential units have been installed to ensure each block has access to water, the City stated.

“The Body Corporate has repeatedly made false undertakings to the City, and has not collected or paid over monthly water bills from unit-holders for unclear reasons.

“The Body Corporate further neglected to provide promised information to register pensioner and indigent beneficiaries, with the City proceeding to go door-to-door to ensure all were registered,” read the statement.

The bulk water metering problem

But according to Aboebakar Diedericks, one of the trustees of the Body Corporate, they have been in back-and-forth meetings with the City for many years.

Diedericks claimed that the City had sold the units to residents on a bulk water metering system. He said the 191 flats only have 16 water meters.

“It is difficult for Body Corporate to switch off the water of defaulters because they make use of a bulk water metering system. And the majority of tenants, of which most are pensioners, are paying their water and levies.”

Diedericks said the debt had ballooned to R17 million largely due to accumulated interest.

Residents bear the brunt

One resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said not having water is a “major inconvenience”.

“I am nearing my 80s, and I live alone. How must I walk to the tap and carry the water? Some households still have that old pull chains in the toilet and for that you need water. I am so frustrated and I don’t know what to do.”

The resident urged the body corporate to reach out to residents who are in arrears for the matter to be addressed.

Another resident who only introduced himself as Aziz said he has been living in the flats for the past 75 years.

“It is stipulated in the Constitution that water is a basic human right. If our water gets cut off, then we must walk a distance to the outside tap.

“Then we also have to carry these heavy water containers up the stairs. We can’t take a bath or a shower or even do our washing.”

For another resident, Isghaak Benjamin, not being able to take regular showers and having to walk to the taps is a “big inconvenience”.

The City said it has assisted with indigent and pensioner rebate applications for those who qualify.
“More than two-thirds do not qualify for indigent benefits as they earn more than R7 500 per month.

Like people with similar incomes across the metro, these residents should be paying for services rendered,” read the statement.

However, Diedericks claimed that “none of the pensioners qualify for the rebates” due to the bulk watering system.

He said they will remain in talks with the City to restore the water supply.

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