“Emfuleni loses 56% of its water yet spends over R65 million on overtime”: Chabalala
Water is being lost rapidly in ELM.
SEDIBENG.- The Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM) is losing about 56% of its water due to water leakages, illegal water network connections, faulty metering, incorrect meter readings and old and dilapidated water infrastructure, yet the municipality continues to spend on overtime for Metsi a Lekao employees.
So said the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) Kingsol Chabalala recently further adding that the residents of Emfuleni are bearing the cost of an increase in rates for water and low water pressure due to the municipality’s failure to attend to reported water leaks timeously and to pay its debt owed to Rand Water while employees are paid exorbitant overtime.
Chabalala said that according to Cogta MEC Lebohang Maile, Emfuleni has spent R65 832 014.47 on overtime for Metsi-a-Lekao employees in the last four financial years.
The breakdown of the money spent on overtime for Metsi a Lekao employees is as follows:
2021/2022 financial year – R10 601 586.76
2020/2021 financial year- R17 637 412.99
2019/2020 financial year- R19 633 849.46
2018/2019 financial year-R17 959 165.26
Total R65 832 014.47
“This is unacceptable as Emfuleni residents are complaining about the municipality’s failure to attend to reported water leaks, blast water pipes and sewer blockages. This has resulted in sewer spillages across many streets in Emfuleni which is a health hazard. This money that is wasted on Metsi a Lekao employees could be used to replace and fix the municipality’s ageing water pipes to ensure that they reduce water losses.”
