Umzinyathi to hike water tariffs in a bid to rise to numerous challenges
There will be a 17% hike in the water tariff when Umzinyathi District Municipality's budget comes into effect in July.
This was said at Umzinyathi District Municipality's IDP/Budget meeting on April 1 at the Moth Hall in Dundee, where community members and officials gathered.
The meeting was addressed by the local mayors, including Endumeni Councillor AM Mkhize and Umzinyathi's acting mayor, Councillor TH Mchunu.
This meeting was the first of four planned consultations across the district, with additional sessions set to take place in Nquthu, Msinga and Umvoti.
The purpose of the meeting was to provide the community with an update on the district's budget plan and to discuss improvements in service delivery.
One key area of focus was the growing population in the Umzinyathi District, which now stands at 649,261.
Among the concerns raised during the discussions were issues related to water and sanitation, particularly in rural areas.
Many attendees emphasised the urgent need to repair and replace outdated water pipes, drainage pipes and sewerage infrastructure, which have been causing ongoing problems such as burst pipes and overflowing sewage, particularly in the Marikana, Glencoe area.
The district municipality is reliant on government grants to make it viable, with these grants totalling R562 million in the next financial year (with over R300 million going to water and sanitation upgrades and projects) but no work allocated for Dundee and Glencoe, where residents earlier this year marched on the Princess Magogo building to express their anger over extended water cuts, effluent pollution and a lack of infrastructural maintenance.
The total operating budget is R694 million, with about 43% of this going to salaries, which is well above the government standard of around 35%.
Despite a huge slice of the budget going to salaries, one of the challenges listed by Umzinyathi District Municipality is 'a shortage of staff', which has been impacted by 'a cost-cutting strategy'.
It was also admitted that faulty water meters and a poor billing system have affected revenue collection, as has illegal connections and an ageing water infrastructure that has led to massive leaks and wastage.
It was also heard at the meeting that more 'will be done to solicit funding from NGOs and provincial departments and seek partnerships with private funders'.
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