South Africa

“For those who really cannot pay, well, they know that there is nothing for mahala (free)”.

Words of the Induna (headman) of Madlebe, member of the Project Steering Committee for the implementation of prepaid water meters in place of previous free communal standpipes, which exacerbated the 2000 outbreak of cholera in KwaZulu Natal Province.

In the new South Africa (post-Apartheid) the difference is shifting from conflicts and privilege based on race to conflicts between the haves and the have-nots. The latter is still dominated by the majority black population. While the new government was committed to providing access to basic services such as water, it did has been unable to deal with sustainable solutions for those who have few resources. Instead the government has whole heartedly promoted a use of prepaid water meters.

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South Africans protest the use of prepaid water meters. (Photo by Ahmed Veriava.)

“Nothing is free” is the illogical answer to those who cannot afford the increased price of water in the new South Africa. When you are out of money, the tap runs dry. The burden is considerably heavier on the poorest households. It is cruel and immoral. But with such logic utilities, such as Johannesburg Water, have rolled out prepaid water projects in large parts of impoverished townships. The logic moves the responsibility of providing water from the government to the individual who is unable to find work or income. It has wrecked havoc in places such as the sprawling townships of Soweto and Orange Farm, urban townships where residents have little alternative when they are left without water. There‚ no streams, no standpipe. Instead prepaid water meters create social unrest.