Mpumalanga municipality misses deadline to pay Rand Water R111m

The Victor Khanye Local Municipality in Mpumalanga, which provides services to Delmas, Sundra, Eloff and Rietkol, has missed its deadline for the payment of R111 million in outstanding debt to Rand Water.

This comes after Rand Water said in a statement on Thursday last week that it would reduce water pressure to the municipality by 40% and subject it to credit control measures if the deadline was missed.

In an attempt to get clarity from the municipality about the situation, the Delmas community submitted a petition, signed by 3,000 people, addressed to the Mpumalanga treasury, the municipality and corporate governance and traditional affairs MEC Mandla Msibi.

But Democratic Alliance (DA) councillor in the municipality Diane Bath said even they were struggling to get answers on the water crisis from the mayor, Eva Makabane, and the acting municipal manager, Thabitha Matladi.

Most residents rely on communal JoJo tanks for their water. The tanks have been put in strategic areas, Bath said.

“These tanks are filled twice daily, but it is still not enough as there are many private residences and government institutions in the area.”

Rand Water has threatened to throttle the water supply to about 90% if an acceptable payment plan is not presented.

An official at the municipality, who did not want to be named, told News24 that the municipality was trying to get R7 million to settle this month’s water account.

The municipality did not respond to written questions sent to them by News24.

George Mthethwa of the department of corporate governance and traditional affairs said a meeting between the MEC, the municipality, and Rand Water would be held on Thursday.

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