Water is Ours (Amanzi Ngawethu)

Thanks to frictionfilms.blip.tv for making this film!

On September 2 and 3, 2009, the Constitutional Court of South Africa will hear the final appeal in a case brought by five Soweto residents challenging Johannesburgs discriminatory prepaid water meter system. Their six-year legal battle would reaffirm the constitutional right to water for all South Africans.

Low-income communities in Johannesburg's townships do not have sufficient water resources and do not receive the same water services as residents in wealthier, often white, suburbs. Yet, the Bill of Rights of South Africa guarantees everyones right to have access to sufficient water.

Diverse forces have come together in this powerful peoples movement - from community mobilization to self-organized water services to legal action. Together, they have already won a historic High Court victory and empowered people to remove prepaid water meters and reconnect to free water, despite threats of criminalization.

In this spirit, Amanzi Ngawethu (Water Is Ours) brings together protest songs, photos, and video from people and organizations who are working in solidarity to reclaim human dignity and human rights.

When the hearing starts, local residents, along with their legal team, supporters, and millions of people in South Africa and across the world, will be watching. Whatever the outcome of this legal case, the struggle to ensure accessible, adequate, and affordable water for all will continue.

View the films here: frictionfilms.blip.tv
Individual links:
Light file (6.5MB): blip.tv/file/2532707
Medium file (12MB): blip.tv/file/2533964
High quality file (35MB): blip.tv/file/2533759

RRS/itunes: frictionfilms.blip.tv/rss/itunes

Info and news:

Coalition Against Water Privatisation (CAWP)
Anti-Privatisation Forum (APF) www.apf.org.za

Centre for Applied Legal Studies (CALS)
www.law.wits.ac.za/cals

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• South Africa
• Water Rights
• Human Rights
• Right to Water
• Water Access
• Unitarian
• Universalism

[uusc4all]

Hi 1970dpr. Thanks for writing. The people of Phiri don't expect everything free- there is a constitutional guarantee to water in South Africa, and they are fighting for this guarantee. They demand no more than the amount slotted for basic human dignity.

[wozatel]

You are funny indeed .Yes water is a human right,But mind you has to collected purified and transported to the end user safely.These are the same people who cry fould if they receive dirty water.Profit NO.But the costs of paying water works must be borne by who ? This culture of FREE stuff must end.

[1970dpr]

I do not agree to people being limited to any amount of water ass long as they are not purposely wasting it.25 ltrs is way too little. My point is that people should pay for the infrastructure, ie water pipes, maintenance and water testing.

[kazufax]

Hi! I think water should be free... free at the point of delivery. Afterall, no-one "owns" water and has the right to put a price on it. Of course there are costs of providing water, but that's got nothing to do with "litres" and going to ridiculous lengths to block people's access to effectively minimal amounts of water. Even just from a logistical point of view it makes much more sense for infrastructure costs of water service to be met by public bodies like the govt using tax revenues. Thanks

[kiamcua]

What big suburb are you currently living in? You obviously do and have no idea what it is like to struggle for simple basic necessities. When was the last time you went hungry or thirsty for more then 1 day?

[kiamcua]

When you reduce your own usage to 25 liters of water a day and are getting it though a pre-paid meter come back and tell us how glorious your life is. Tell us how you are able to grow you own food, cook, and maintain your hygiene.

[1970dpr]

Why the opposition to "paying up front".Makes no difference as long as the dervice of SUPPLY is paid for. These people expect free everything.

[1970dpr]

"big suburbs " may not have prepaid meters installed because they pay their monthly accounts for water AND electricity and do not demand free free free everything.Work and pay for it.

If you want it free fetch it yourself from a river.

Beware the crocs tho!