Cosatu in the Western Cape plans to go on strike over what it calls the City of Cape Town’s failure to address the water crisis.

The labour union will file an application for legal protest action with the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac).

In a statement on Thursday, Cosatu said the city has failed to decrease water consumption.

“The rich have more than enough money to pay fines and more expensive water bills,” Cosatu said.

“The water shortages [are] going to lead to poor communities dying of thirst. The rich will be able to buy water at the shops whilst poor people have no alternative water supply.”

Cosatu said naming the streets where there is high water consumption was a gimmick by the city.

“[It] is a stupid public relations stunt to cover a crisis,” it said.

The ANC-alliance member said Cosatu has reliably learnt that dam levels are at 20% and not at 33% as the city said on Monday.

Cosatu demanded that water use for pools, car washing and gardening be banned. It asked that pool water be returned to dams, that desalination plants be set up and that the groundwater aquifer be accessed.

The union said it will go on protest if the city fails to respond to their demands by Monday.

The city did not respond to a request for comment.