The defaulting municipalities include the Vhembe and Mopani District Municipalities, both owing the department a combined debt of almost R1 billion.
On 21 November, the Department of Water Affairs and Sanitation issued a notice to these municipalities to pay all debts older than 60 days or face restrictions in terms of section 59(3)(b) of the National Water Act.
Mopani District Municipality’s 60-day-old debt amounts to R274 million while Vhembe districts owe R624 million.
https://capricornreview.co.za/119820/vhembe-mopani-lead-the-water-debt-pack/
The assurance by Salga comes just a day after Water and Sanitation Minister, Nomvula Mokonyane, threatened to effect water cuts in defaulting municipalities from 8 December.
Mokonyane announced during a media briefing in Johannesburg last week that defaulting municipalities which owed the department over R10 billion can brace themselves for water cuts as of Friday this week.
She said those facing the cuts are municipalities which have been billed but failed to pay their water bills for the past six months.
The announcement left thousands of residents in communities affected by the debt swimming in abject fear.
In response to the announcement, Salga Manager for Municipal Infrastructure, Jean de la Harpe, said the association was involved in deep discussions with the department, Treasury and the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs to try and prevent the restriction from being implemented.
“Our water end-users can relax and breathe a sigh of relief. We are doing all we can to ensure there will be no water cuts as that would be unconstitutional,” Harpe’ told CV this week.
The threat by Mokonyane has since opened a hot debate between political parties countrywide.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) was the first to share its frustration calling for Cooperative Governance Minister, Des van Rooyen’s urgent intervention.
“The Minister must implement Section 139 of the Constitution which provides for measures which would allow for financial recovery to immediately be put in place in the affected municipalities. The act also decrees that municipalities which fail to play ball should be placed under administration,” said Member of Parliament (MP) and DA Shadow Minister for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Kevin Mileham.
Mileham said water was a basic right and communities within the affected municipalities also have that right.
He said innocent South Africans and businesses in the affected municipalities should not be subjected to bear the brunt of the ANC’s mismanagement and inefficiencies.
“This water debacle is reflective of poor financial management and corruption.
“Had proper checks and balances been in place, this debacle would not have happened. The Department of Water and Sanitation must be held accountable for its lack of accountability and political will to arrest the situation before it got out of hand,” concluded Mileham.
