Masvingo residents are up in arms with the city fathers over their attempts to install prepaid water meters. The residents argued that council was already failing to provide adequate water in the city, warning that introduction of prepaid water would force them to resort to unprotected sources.
BY HAZVINEI MWANAKA
This came up during a public discussion on service delivery organised by Masvingo United Residents and Ratepayers’ Association (MURRA) on Wednesday.
Installation of prepaid water meters has sparked debate in major cities with residents and human rights groups resisting the move. Local authorities were arguing that the only way to recover debts and control water usage was through the proposed system.
Masvingo mayor Hurbet Fidze told the discussion that the proposed system was good for the city’s coffers, but council currently had no money to roll out the programme anytime soon.
“The project is a very good move as it gives us control, but for the mean time we do not have the money so we are incapacitated to roll out the programme, but as soon as we have the money we will do so,” he said. “The water that we have in Masvingo is insufficient, water problems are extensive in Rujeko, maybe it will take us up to 2018 or 2019 to resolve the water issue in Masvingo.”
Government departments and parastatals owe the council $25 million. MURRA secretary for advocacy Thomas Mbetu said residents were totally against the installation of prepaid water meters.
“Water is a basic human right, you cannot deny somebody their right. The money that they want to use for the purchase of meters could be channelled towards improving the pumping capacity. The water pumping capacity only caters for round 30 000 people, yet residents are now over 80 000 so we are totally against it,” Mbetu said. One of the residents, Shuvai Muputa, said the introduction of prepaid meters was inhumane. “I am old, where do you think I can get the money to pay first? Besides water comes from God so we need services that are godly,” she said.
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Simbarashe Paradza, another resident, also spoke against installation of prepaid water meters. “My prayer is that they don’t get the funding, otherwise many people will suffer,” he said. Legal Resource Foundation Masvingo centre lawyer Lucy Chivasa, who was one of the presenters, said water was a basic human right and could not be substituted with anything.
“(Installation of) Prepaid water meters is an elitist idea and residents cannot afford it since they are already negotiating for payment plans,” she said.
“The State has a duty to promote, respect and protect socioeconomic rights, and right to clean and safe water is one of the socioeconomic rights. The State should put measures within its available resources to ensure progressive realisation of each right.”
