Residents in Cape Town’s Bo-Kaap say they have been left without reliable water supply for weeks, as tensions escalate between the City and the local body corporate over an alleged R17 million municipal debt.
Erefaan Hendricks, a trustee of the Bo-Kaap Body Corporate, said the situation has worsened since May, with more blocks recently affected.
“Yes, the water was off since beginning of May, right up to now they disconnected three more blocks in the last week or so,” he said.
Hendricks added that pensioners are among the hardest hit, with residents relying on standpipes and younger family members collecting water for elderly occupants.
The Bo-Kaap Civic and Ratepayers Association (BKCRA) has condemned the disconnections, calling them “collective punishment” and warning that cutting water supply in a dense heritage area poses serious health and fire risks.
However, Mayco Member for Water and Sanitation Zahid Badroodien said water supply has not been completely cut but restricted.
“Water supply continues… however supply is currently restricted to bulk water meters in light of the unsustainable accumulating debt,” he said, adding that standpipes have been installed to ensure access.
Badroodien further said the body corporate has failed to honour agreements and that the City is pursuing legal debt recovery while remaining open to negotiations.
Photo: Sourced
