Defaulting municipalities to face water cuts from today

Rand Water will be reducing water supply to three municipalities that owe millions of rands in unpaid water bills.

Ngwathe local municipality in the Free State, Govan Mbeki local municipality in Mpumalanga and the Madibeng local municipality in North West will have 20% of their water supply reduced today should they fail to pay their arrear accounts. Ngwathe local municipality was in arrears by over R2 million.

But the total amount due was over R5 million, spokesman Justice Mohale said. The Govan Mbeki local municipality in Mpumalanga has an overdue amount of R47 million as arranged with the municipality.

Should the municipality fail to pay, Rand Water would reduce the flow of water supply by 20% from today, Mohale said. “This is in addition to the 40% water reduction that is currently being implemented. The total amount owed to Rand Water by the Govan Mbeki local municipality is over R245 million.”

North West’s Madibeng local municipality owes just over R10.5 million in water bills, and supply will also be reduced by 20%. The total amount due by the municipality to Rand Water is over R14 million, Mohale said.

“The defaulting municipalities are aware that the offices of the minister for human settlements, water and sanitation, the respective provincial MECs for cooperative governance and traditional affairs as well as the Treasury department have been informed of the intended implementation of the credit control measures.”

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