south africa: Water payments go down the toilet

Water from a prepayment meter is 20% more expensive than from a standard meter in Johannesburg and 58,8% more expensive than the same amount of metered water in Cape Town. And while the people of Sandton are free to choose whether to have a prepayment meter, the poor of Soweto do not enjoy the privilege of choice, argues Roger Ronnie, the general secretary of the South African Municipal Workers’ Union. Ronnie was responding to an advert placed by Johannesburg Water (JW) in a South African newspaper. Communities in Soweto have revolted against JW's attempt to install pre-payment water meters.