Cape Town cans proposed water tariff after tens of thousands of comments against it
Capetonians unleashed their wrath on their city council in unprecedented numbers when a drought levy based on property values was proposed in December.A total of 61‚002 comments were received about mayor Patricia de Lille’s proposal — so many that only 36‚444 could be categorised before Friday’s council meeting to vote on the levy.And a chastened De Lille said on Thursday that the idea was likely to be scrapped. "In terms of the drought charge‚ it is likely to be dropped after a massive outcry from Capetonians that it was unfair. I understand that response and it has personally been a tough lesson for the city‚" she said.A report to be tabled at Friday’s special council meeting says ratepayers’ opposed the drought levy on numerous grounds‚ including:• The methodology of using property value‚ rather than water consumption‚ as the yardstick to determine the drought charge.• Targeting only certain property owners (those in properties valued below R400,000 would have been exempted), whi...
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