HARARE residents on Thursday protested against a pilot project for the installation of pre-paid water meters during a full council meeting.
BY FELUNA NLEYA
The residents, who waved banners, placards and flyers, said they would not accept such a move, adding they were planning to launch an anti-prepaid water meter campaign.
Harare Metropolitan Residents’ Forum (Hamref) co-chairperson Simbarashe Moyo said ratepayers attended the full council meeting so that their issues could be heard.
“We came to the Town House to make our point very clear about that the residents said no to prepaid water meters,” Moyo said.
“People are really suffering the country is not yet prepared for such a move. The infrastructure that we have is not yet adequate to sustain it.”
Hamref spokesperson Marvellous Khumalo said: “Inconsistencies are coming out in terms of position from the council. The mayor says this today and the town clerk tomorrow contradicts that [tomorrow]. Let’s address the problems that are current now.”
However, Harare mayor Bernard Manyenyeni said council had not finalised the issue yet, adding prepaid meters would only be installed if there was consensus.
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“The City of Harare is still at consultation stage and welcomes engagements with stakeholders on the proposed project,” Manyenyeni said.
“There are no prepaid meters that will be installed until this process has been completed and when all the pros and cons have been viewed.”
Speaking at a Press conference yesterday, residents said the installation of prepaid water meters would not improve the availability of water.
“A case in point is the prepaid electricity meters which clearly have not improved power generation and supply. Currently, the City of Harare collects over 50% of revenue from rates and little has been done to address the challenges of water supply and availability,” Hamref said.
“We are not convinced that any new revenue flows will lead to improvements in water supply.”
They said the current economic climate did not support the pre-payment system.
“Residents are wallowing in poverty and urban debt and this will further worsen their situation,” Hamref said.
“The prepayment will affect mostly the elderly and the poor sections of our community. There has not been a clear package for free water that can be easily managed by this system as demanded by the new Constitution.”
