Water and Sanitation Minister, Ms Nomvula Mokonyane held a media briefing on Monday, 27 November where she mentioned that 30 defaulting municipalities will be facing possible water cuts.
She said 59 summonses had been issued and have 6 judgments had been granted by the courts.
Dr Pixley ka-Seme is one of the municipalities whose judgement was granted.
The affected municipalities within the Gert Sibande District Municipality are:
DIPALESENG LOCAL MUNICIPALITY R 62,604,901.32
LEKWA LOCAL COUNCIL R 450,200,840.58
MSUKALIGWA LOCAL MUNICIPALITY R 384,958,301.11
DR PIXLEY KA-SEME LOCAL MUNICIPALITY R 86,787,180.51
Ms Mokonyane further mentioned that on Friday, 24 November the department has notified all the affected municipalities about the decision to be taken against them.
The identified 30 municipalities debt exceeds R50 million rand individually and are older than six months.
“Section 59 (3b) of the National Water Act allows the department of Water and Sanitation to restrict or suspend the flow of water to defaulting municipalities.”
“Municipalities that continuously demonstrated the inability to manage, operate and maintain infrastructure, including the inability to service debt for bulk water supply can lose their status until they have the capacity,” added Ms Mokonyane.
The minister also mentioned that Department of Water Trading Entity and the Water Boards must at all times try to be financially viable and maintain a healthy financial state.
“The failure to recover monies owed for services rendered severely compromises their abilities to meet the above financial standards,” said Ms Mokonyane.
She concluded by saying, “We are not punishing the end user and are pleading to those who are supposed to provide service to the end user to take full responsibility and pay for the services that we provide for them.”
