When 66-year-old Ruby Williams received a letter from the City of Johannesburg on April 21, her life changed. It was a pre-termination notice warning Williams that her municipal services would be cut-off within 14 days if she did not pay her arrears in full or make prior arrangements to pay over a period of time.
The letter was hand delivered and left hanging at the gate of her home in Klipspruit West, south west of Johannesburg. While reading it, Williams developed difficulty in breathing and had to sit down in shock over the amount demanded.
