2.1.1: The basic charge in the given context refers to a fixed monthly fee that is charged by the municipality for the provision of water services, regardless of the amount of water consumed by the user.
2.1.2: To calculate the tariff for a particular consumption level during 2017/2018, you need to find the relevant consumption tier and then apply the corresponding rate. For example, if the consumption level is 10,000 litres per month, then the relevant tier is 7-15 kilolitres, and the rate for this tier is R15.95 per kilolitre. Therefore, the cost of water for this consumption level is:
10 kilolitres x R15.95/kilolitre = R159.50
To this cost, the basic charge needs to be added. According to the table, the basic charge for 2017/2018 is R7.46 per month. Therefore, the total cost of water and basic charge for this consumption level is:
R159.50 + R7.46 = R166.96
Therefore, the tariff for a consumption level of 10,000 litres per month during 2017/2018 is R166.96.
2.1.3: To verify if Mr Morake's statement is correct, we need to check if the basic charge was included in the calculation of his water bill. Assuming that Mr Morake's water usage for the month of August 2018 fell within the 7-15 kilolitre tier, we can calculate his bill as follows:
Water usage: 10 kilolitres
Cost of water: 10 kilolitres x R17.39/kilolitre = R173.90
Based on the above calculation, it appears that the basic charge was included in Mr Morake's water bill, as his total bill of R201.27 exceeds the cost of water alone. Therefore, it seems that Mr Morake's statement is incorrect, and the basic charge was indeed included in his water bill.