Are you drowning in escalating municipal bills?
Residents in many parts of the country often complain about incorrect bills, either charged for things they didn't use or receiving inflated invoices bills they don't understand.
This leads to frustration and lack of trust in the system, and some end up refusing to pay the bills either because they cannot afford them or they feel they are paying for services they do not get.
Because of this, municipalities find themselves trapped in debt because of their poor revenue collection models, leaving them unable to provide basic services.
One example is water.
In November 2024, the Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation revealed that Vaal Central and Magalies Water face bankruptcy due to R23.7 billion in municipal debt.
Then there is the long running saga of power cuts.
In February 2025, SCOPA announced that municipalities owe Eskom R94 billion.
This is a vicious cycle that hurts both residents and municipalities.
With more people complaining about their ballooning municipal bills, eNCA asked its viewers if they were drowning in escalating municipal bills.
This opened a floodgate of reactions with many voicing their frustrations.
One user on X Gabonewe Setshedi says rising municipal bills are unbearable, particularly for water and electricity services.
"These combined prices have increased significantly in my area and many parts of Tshwane. It's a significant concern for me."
Sharing the same sentiments is Ketlareng Sybil Matlhako who noted the challenge in the billing system.
"It's not possible to get a bill of water at R12 000 each month. The municipal bills have an impact on the ability of citizens to balance the already rising cost of living."
One user says they simply do not have money to pay for services they do not receive.
Carl Taylor on Facebook says this continued payment for services not rendered must be illegal and against the constitution.
Taylor's sentiments were also echoed by Shirley van Son, describes Tshwane as a slum with burst water pipes, raw sewage running down the roads, street lights that don't work, overgrown verges and pavements taken over by weeds.
Now Centurion is dealing with sinkholes.
"One gets references but nothing gets done to fix the problem. Paying for services we don't get," she said.
On eNCA's SA Morning Soapbox, reporters took to the streets of Cape Town and Johannesburg to give residents a chance to weigh in on the topic.
Many say the increasing cost of electricity, water, and property as well as rates and taxes, have added to their burden, forcing them into creative ways of budgeting to make ends meet.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
eNCA
13 hours ago
- eNCA
Action Society says SA has no reason to celebrate Women's Day
JOHANNESBURG - Action Society says the country has no reason to celebrate Women's Day. The party says this is because every month over 300 women are murdered, nearly four thousand are raped and nearly 5500 are physically assaulted. READ: Women's Month | Female officers re-enact 1956 women's march Action Society wants Gender-based Violence to be declared a national disaster. The group's spokesperson, Juanita du Preez had a discussion with eNCA on this topic.
The Citizen
2 days ago
- The Citizen
Operation Dudula demands release of members detained
The Operation Dudula member described the detained members as "patriots" and "South African citizens that have taken a stand" against what they perceive as illegal immigration. Three Operation Dudula members remain in custody at Diepkloof Police Station following their arrest at the Lillian Ngoyi Clinic on Thursday. The women were detained after allegedly entering the clinic's maternity ward and attempting to remove a pregnant woman they claimed was a foreign national. Operation Dudula supporters demand release Operation Dudula members gathered at the Diepkloof Police Station from early Friday morning, demanding the immediate release of their detained colleagues. We will not be intimidated by our own government. Let's meet in Diepkloof Police Station at 8:00 for a proper shutdown of Diepkloof Police Station. — Operation Dudula (@0perationDudula) August 8, 2025 The group maintains its members were conducting legitimate operations to identify illegal foreigners allegedly accessing South African healthcare services. According to Operation Dudula member Thami, the three women entered the clinic to establish facts about foreign nationals in the facility. 'These three members had gotten inside to go and establish the facts and find out who is an illegal foreigner in the country,' Thami explained to eNCA. 'They had not even gotten to ask those questions. But they were in the maternity ward to try and find out.' Thami emphasised that the organisation follows specific protocols during their operations. 'When we conduct this operation, we engage with the staff first before we engage with whoever is not supposed to be there,' he said. ALSO READ: Why mass deportation is failing SA's immigration system Operation Dudula arrests and allegations The detained members claim they were arrested without proper procedure. In a viral video seen by The Citizen, one of the arrested women described the incident: 'We are in a van, we were arrested, foreigners have filled up Koos Clinic and its maternity ward. We don't know which account we have been arrested on.' She alleged that someone named Zodwa called the police on them. 'Zodwa always harasses us at clinics when we do our programmes. Today, she called the police on us, and more than 20 police officers came to us, the three women commanders,' the woman said. The arrested member claimed procedural violations during the arrest. 'We are travelling right now, and we don't even know which police station they're taking us to. They just told us that we are getting arrested; they didn't even read us our rights. We were just put inside the van.' According to video footage taken by Operation Dodula members, the three arrested women are identified as Cindy, Xoli, and Mamsi. It remains unclear which of the three was speaking in the viral arrest video. ALSO READ: Operation Dudula wanting to know why organisations prioritise foreign nationals Threats of Diepkloof Police Station shutdown Operation Dodula leader Zandile Dabula issued strong warnings following the arrests. 'Today, our commanders were arrested in Diepkloof. The charges are that they are impersonating immigration officers, police and labour inspectors,' Dabula said. She threatened broader action if the women are not released. 'We are going to make a call that everyone… If this country has to be closed, it's going to be a shutdown. Let's do that because we are not going to be intimidated by the police,' Dabula declared. Organisation's position on healthcare access Thami defended the group's actions as the enforcement of constitutional rights. He argued that foreign nationals were 'stealing our medication, abusing our system, our health care systems' and 'should not be given those rights because constitutionally they are not supposed to get those rights.' The Operation Dudula member described their detained colleagues as 'patriots' and 'South African citizens that have taken a stand' against what they perceive as illegal immigration. Police response Police spokesperson Brenda Muridili confirmed the women are in custody. 'They have not yet been charged, but they are still in custody,' Muridili told The Citizen. 'The charges that they are facing now are trespassing.' This response rebuts Dabula's claim that the charges are more serious, including impersonating immigration officers, police, and labour inspectors. Muridili said she would confirm when and where the three women will appear in court. READ NEXT: Saps probes officers after video shows police offloading beer bottles at liquor store
eNCA
3 days ago
- eNCA
US Trade Policy Risks Long-Term Isolation, Expert Warns
The United States' increasingly aggressive trade posture under successive administrations may leave lasting scars on global trade relations, potentially isolating the world's largest economy. That's the view of global trade expert Donald Mackay, who warns that the ripple effects of punitive tariffs could take decades to repair. Speaking to eNCA, Mackay, Director at XA Global Trade Advisors, said that over the past few years, the US has systematically alienated many of its trading partners. 'What the US has done is effectively 'Brexiteered' itself from much of the world. There are very few countries it hasn't managed to antagonise,' he said. Mackay cautioned that this trend is driving other nations to forge new trade alliances, shift investment strategies, and reduce their reliance on the US. While the full impact will take time to unfold, he believes the long-term consequences could see the US increasingly isolated in the global economy. Tariffs Likely Here to Stay While the upcoming US election may introduce political change, Mackay doubts it will lead to a major reversal in trade policy—regardless of who takes the White House. He pointed to recent history for context: 'President Trump imposed a 25% tariff on steel and aluminum in his first term. When President Biden took over, he left those tariffs in place. In fact, the Biden administration went further—introducing a 100% tariff on Chinese electric vehicles and launching the Inflation Reduction Act, which is the world's largest subsidy programme.' According to Mackay, both Democrats and Republicans appear aligned in their more protectionist approach, making it unlikely that tariffs will be significantly rolled back in the near future. Finding New Markets Not So Simple For countries like South Africa that have traditionally depended on US markets, the outlook is fraught with uncertainty. 'Finding new markets is not just about geography, it's about margin,' Mackay explained. 'You have to find a buyer willing to pay what you were earning in the US. And even if you do, you'll face pushback from local competitors in that new market.' He added that navigating new regulatory environments, building distribution networks, and understanding consumer preferences also complicate the process. 'These are not impossible problems, but none of them are easy,' he said. With global trade at a crossroads, analysts warn that volatility will remain a defining feature of the economic landscape in the years ahead.
