In view of the persistent and critical drought affecting Cape Town and the Western Cape, I think it is time the authorities take a hard stance with serial offenders.
Their irresponsible and selfish behaviour is affecting all of us, i.e. the majority of us who actually do our best to conserve water, equally.
If people think they have enough money to pay any fines thrown at them, hit them where it will matter: cut off their water once the legally permitted maximum has been reached. They will also be the first to brand the authorities incompetent because of the crisis.
As households, we have more than halved our water consumption to way below the suggested maximum per household. For that, we have to watch how the water from our pool evaporates, even with a blanket, because we will not op it up even though we use less than is allowed.
Some people need to understand that having onscene amounts of money does not absolve one from our shared responsibilities as a civil society.