Editing Water supply and sanitation in South Africa (section)

===Management contract for Johannesburg and pre-paid meters===
'''Johannesburg management contract.''' Building on earlier experiences with private sector participation since 1994, a five-year management contract for water services in [[Johannesburg]], South Africa's largest city and the country's economic and financial hub, was awarded in 2000 to the [[Joint Venture]] Water and Sanitation Services South Africa (WSSA). The Johannesburg management contract was not renewed when it expired in 2005. However, private operators continue to provide services in many other South African cities.

'''Prepaid meters.''' 170,000 prepaid meters were installed in poor townships of Johannesburg, including in [[Soweto]]. Prepaid meters were also installed in other cities as part of management contracts with private operators. These meters, which cut off water supply above the 6 cubic meter monthly limit if no payment is made, sparked substantial protests in poor neighbourhoods. Residents of Phiri, a neighborhood in Soweto, sued against prepaid meters with the support of South African and international anti-privatisation activists in what has been called the Mazibuko case, named after the first plaintiff.<ref name="Pacific Institute">[http://www.pacinst.org/about_us/ Pacific Institute]: [https://www.pacinst.org/press_center/press_releases/south_africa_water_decision.html Oakland Research Matters in Historic South African Water Rights Decision], 1 May 2008</ref>

In April 2008 the South African High Court found the practice of prepaid meters in Soweto unconstitutional, and wrote that denying the poor access to adequate water "is to deny them the rights to health and to lead a dignified lifestyle." Further, the judge stated that "25 liters per person per day is insufficient for the residents of Phiri", and ordered the city to provide free basic water in the amount of 50 liters per person per day with the option of an ordinary credit-metered water supply (instead of prepaid) for more use. The Court apparently assumed a household size of eight.<ref name="Pacific Institute"/>

In October 2009 the Constitutional Court overturned the case and declared prepaid meters to be lawful.<ref>[http://www.irc.nl/page/103 IRC]:[http://www.irc.nl/page/50630 South Africa, Johannesburg:Phiri residents lose court battle]. Retrieved 20 November 2009.</ref> The court case led to the development of a more social practice concerning prepaid meters. For example, the minimum amount can be increased from 6&nbsp;m<sup>3</sup> per month to 10 or even 15&nbsp;m<sup>3</sup> per month depending on the level of poverty and size of a household. Also, new prepaid meters still deliver a minimum amount of 40 liter per hour under low pressure after service is cut off. Furthermore, 1000 liter of "emergency water" can be used four times per year, for example to extinguish fires, even if bills should not have been paid. 2000 liter of additional water can be granted by local authorities on demand for special needs. However, not all residents are aware of these fairly complex mechanisms.<ref>{{cite web|last=Aubriot|first=Julie|title=Focus "solution": A Soweto, des citoyens portent plainte (Focus solutions: In Soweto, citizens sue)|work=La lettre du pS-Eau|url=http://www.pseau.org/outils/lettre/article.php?lett_article_lettre_id=1261&page_originale=1|access-date=12 April 2012|page=13|date=December 2011}}</ref>