Municipalities face water cuts

Just over 30 municipalities countrywide face water cuts for owing the water and sanitation department a whopping R10.7 billion in bills, Minister Nomvula Mokonyane has announced.

As of December 8, defaulting municipalities will have restrictions until they settle their water debts, she said.

She said R3.9 billion was owed to the water trading entity and R6.8 billion was owed to various other water boards across the country.

Her department issued invoices to over 183 municipalities. Fifty-nine of the municipalities were slapped with summonses for failing to honour their obligations.

“In terms of the Municipal Financial Management Act, municipalities are required to pay for bulk water within 60 days. “To date we issued 59 summonses with six judgments granted by the courts against Mangaung metropolitan municipality, the OR Tambo district summonses, the Phumelela, Emfuleni and Nketwana local municipalities.

“Of these, it is only the OR Tambo district summonses that is currently servicing their debt.”

– alexm@citizen.co.za

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