THE Masvingo Residents’ Trust (MRT) has taken the Masvingo City Council to court over water disconnections, arguing that the precious liquid is a basic human right which no-one should be deprived of.
Tatenda Chitagu Own Correspondent
They are claiming the move to disconnect water at their households is illegal.
This is the second time MRT has taken the local authority to task over water disconnections on defaulters.
Last year, the council was arraigned before the Constitutional Court over the withdrawal of water supplies.
The case is still pending.
Under case number SP 08/15 filed at the Masvingo Civil Court this week, 19 Masvingo city residents, including MRT programmes manager Prosper Tiringindi, argued that the city council should not have disconnected water to defaulting residents without calling for payment plans.
Through the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights representative, Martin Mureri, of Matutu and Mureri law firm, the 19 applicants — including a 74-year-old pensioner, claimed that the council move is illegal.
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One applicant, Johannes Makonese, claimed he had been living from well-wishers.
Some of the applicants claimed supplies were cut off in August last year and up to now, water has not been restored despite attempts to break the impasse with the city fathers.
Another 64-year-old applicant said she feared contracting cholera and other waterborne diseases as she was now relying on water from unprotected sources.
The case is set to appear in court next Friday after Mureri applied for a spoliation order.
