CAPE TOWN - The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) today announced it will be holding a press conference to announce their campaign against the drought charge of the City of Cape Town.
The campaign will raise concern about the extra cost that the City will be imposing upon Cape Town residents.
"We support a progressive taxation policy , but adhoc measures for bad planning should not just be processed because it has a greater impact on the rich. There needs to be careful and considered planning and expenditure", says regional secretary of Cosatu of the Western Cape, Tony Ehrenreich.
The conference, set to take place on January 18, 2018 at 11:30 am at the Cosatu offices and will be attended by various organisations who usually work with Cosatu. These include the ANC, SACP, Muslim Judicial Council, WP Council of churches, Various Political parties.
Picture: Cosatu. (Supplied).
Cosatu says that they have also been actively involved in activities of the water Coalition. The union says it will also mobilise its members to build up to the bigger action that will be taking place.
The mobilisation will require Capetonians to join in the mass action in order to form a united footing. Cosatu thus calls on all Capetonians to join in the one hour protest at the City Council offices on Sunday, January 21, 2018.
The Cosatu protest will be held on Sunday January 21, 2018 at 15:00 pm at the City Councils offices in Cape Town (between Standard Bank and the City Council offices).
Picture: Cosatu. (Supplied).
According to Cosatu, the DA-led government failed to plan ahead.
"The water crisis was identified and warned against 10 years ago . The DA failed to plan for alternative sources of water even when the extent of the disaster became apparent in May last year, no urgent action was taken. In December the contractors working on it went on leave , further delaying role out . Just bad ineffective leadership from day 1", says Ehrenreich.
Ehrenreich adds that the call for public comment on the drought charge was a purposeful attempt to undermine public input, given that it was during the festive season.
"This was definitely an attempt to undermine public input , because they knew the extent of objections. If there was not the internal battles in the DA ADN THE Mayor now , they would have pushed it through Council . Now that the public backlash in the DA constituency is unfolding the DA Province that initially support the levy are opposing it", says Ehrenreich.
The secretary general of Cosatu concludes that National Government must urgently intervene to avoid a dangerous situation from exploding.
"There will be a crisis when Day Zero arrives , because the City does not have enough tanks to deliver water to all affected areas . There will be riots and illness and death because of this crisis", warns Ehrenreich.
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Cosatu invites all people to join their action who are concerned about the water crisis in Cape Town, in respect of the following areas
:
- The increase in the drought levy, which will lead to huge cost for ratepayers
- The attempts by the City to privatise water and to profiteer from its supply and sale
- The forced introduction of pre paid water metres into communities
- The new regulations that will increase the cost of building and maintenance
- The City by laws which are going to lead to a more difficult water access environment
- The refusal of the City to harvest the spring water in Camisa for the use of citizens
- The refusal of the City to stop SA Breweries from using Cape Town spring water to make beer, free of charge
- The refusal of the City to stop the use of water to farms during the crisis and restricting the water to only human and animal use.
- The refusal of the City to provide water tanks to citizens to harvest water.
- The City is lying to the citizens about when Day Zero will happen, as our information from Council staff is that it is middle march.
- The Council is allowing some people to hoard water, for when the taps run dry, which is exacerbating problem.
- The Councils plans for recycling are inadequate and not being focussed on
- The council plans for desalination is inadequate and not being focussed on
Picture: Cosatu. (Supplied).