"The pre-paid water meters are installed in order to save water. Still the pre-paid water meters only apply to the poor black communities, and not to the hedonistic suburban communities where water is wasted," he says.
The poor communities are desperate. Ndlovu tells of stories of resistance against these meters under the slogan "Destroy the meters, enjoy the water". Citizens who resort to such measures risk fines and imprisonment.
Others have seized the courts to stop the new pre-paid system. The Johannesburg high court has ruled recently that the current situation is unconstitutional. It declared that people should be able to chose between prepaid and normal meters, and that free amount of water provided in South Africa was insufficient.
The voice of the churches
Pre-paid water supply systems were one of the main topics discussed during a conference of the Ecumenical Water Network in Maseru, the capitol of Lesotho, in April. Water professionals from around Africa are currently looking to the mountain kingdom because the pre-paid water meters recently installed in public places by Maseru's water company are seen as a model by the industry.
Churches contribute to the provision of water throughout the world. The Ecumenical Water Network now calls on churches to get involved in advocacy work for the human right to water.
Dr Asa Elfstrom, Church of Sweden's senior advisor for water and development and a member of the network's steering group explains: "The church has a history of supporting the poorest and most marginalised people. The people without access to water do not have a strong voice. The church is highly regarded in most countries, and if it raises its voice, it could make governments change their policy."
The Ecumenical Water Network is an initiative of churches, Christian organisations and movements working on people's access to water around the world and community-based solutions to the water crisis. Its objective is to bring forward a common Christian witness in the debate on water issues. The World Council of Churches hosts the network's secretariat and helps to facilitate cooperation among the partners involved.
The conference "Let justice roll like rivers" was hosted by the Christian Council of Lesotho and the local advocacy group Pelum.
