In some areas, load-shedding will no longer be an excuse for water cuts, as Eskom has agreed to exempt Ugu’s St Helen’s Rock pumpstation from load-shedding.
Ugu spokesperson France Zama said this was initiated to safeguard the continuous supply of water to communities.
The municipality had made an application to Eskom in March to exempt all pumpstations, but Eskom only exempted St Helen’s Rock with immediate effect.
Although most communities still don’t have water, there is hope that there will be no load-shedding and water cuts at the same time.
At the beginning of April Ugu released a statement and said that the amnesty period to settle bills will remain in affect for a period of six months
Communities are allowed to query their water billing issues, and if they have been billed for days or weeks that they haven’t had water, proof is required.
The municipality offers all customers a ‘once off’ amnesty on debt that is over 120 days as at August 31, 2022.
All residential customers owing the municipality are requested to undertake to pay 50% of the debt.
The amnesty period had originally been approved from September 2021 to February 2022.
Premier Sihle Zikalala visited Ugu a few months ago about the ongoing water issues. According to Ugu, the week the premier was scheduled to visit the district, the province was hit by floods. He was meant to return in April to give an update on his observations.
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