Latest news with #uMngeni-uThukelaWater
The Citizen
12-07-2025
- Climate
- The Citizen
Water supply to stabilise by July 18, says eThekwini
RESIDENTS in the north and south of eThekwini are still feeling the ripple effect of the planned 24-hour shutdown at the Wiggins Water Treatment Works on Tuesday, July 8, which left a number of households without water. UMngeni-uThukela Water reported experiencing production constraints at its Durban Heights Water Treatment Works on Thursday, July 10. 'As part of the contingency planning for the 24-hour shutdown of the Wiggins Water Treatment Works earlier this week, the Durban Heights Water Treatment Works ramped up its production to support critical systems in the southern areas of the eThekwini Municipality. However, this led to treatment challenges caused by scum build-up at the plant, resulting in reduced production levels,' said uMngeni-uThukela Water spokesperson Siyabonga Maphumulo. Among the areas affected by the Wiggins shutdown were Umbilo and Glenwood. 'All Areas should have fully recovered from the planned shutdown. If you don't have supply please log a reference and send it through to me with your Road Name /Reference Number,' said Ward 33 councillor Fran Kristopher. Also Read: Planned water outages to leave taps dry across Durban Although some areas are now receiving water, residents are still reporting outages. According to the eThekwini Municipality the city is urgently attending to the interruption of water supply. 'The interruption is due to the disruption of raw water production from the Durban Heights Water Treatment Works, a plant that is managed by the City's bulk water supplier, uMngeni-uThukela Water,' said municipal spokesperson Gugu Sisilana. She said, 'Currently, most reservoirs in the north and south have been depleted and it is going to take time to build up sufficient levels to achieve a stable water supply. However, while this does not mean that taps will run dry, some areas will experience intermittent supply as the City works on stabilising the system. The system is expected to stabilise in a week's time, around 18 July. The Municipality apologises for the inconvenience caused.' For more information regarding water supply, the public can download eThekwini Municipality's mobile app to log faults or send a WhatsApp to 073 1483 477. Alternatively, call the toll-free number 080 311 1111 or email [email protected]. For more from Berea Mail, follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok. Click to subscribe to our newsletter – here At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Daily Maverick
19-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Maverick
Promises, potholes and a R71bn budget — can Mayor Xaba Fix Durban?
eThekwini Mayor Cyril Xaba is trying to lead a turnaround, but the city faces spiralling debt and a billing crisis. eThekwini Mayor Cyril Xaba is talking it up, and who can blame him? The man at the helm of a city hobbled by corruption is putting his best foot forward, trying to build trust with citizens fed up with crooks. Last week, Xaba passed a R70.9-billion budget, and his recent speeches to council and business have been measured and optimistic. Xaba, constantly drilled by ratepayers, is basking in a bit of glory after Durban successfully pulled off a host of big sporting events, which saw the city spruce up and the metro police out in full force. But while the mayor's reassuring language is laden with mollifying words about National Treasury prescripts and the virtues of consequence management, he is in the spotlight. The city's public relations machine aims to signal competency and accountability, distancing Xaba from the ineptitude and looting that have come to characterise the municipality. The jury's out on how much difference Xaba has made since he was parachuted into the top job a year ago. His installation coincided with a provincial intervention in the city headed by former city manager Mike Sutcliffe and former presidential director-general Cassius Lubisi. A month before their arrival, President Cyril Ramaphosa established a working group in response to business concerns about city failures. And, a year before that, the city launched a turnaround strategy. So, while First Citizen Cyril is trying hard, ratepayers, business and opposition parties are concerned that the city is sliding deeper into debt. Not everyone likes Xaba's numbers, especially tariff increases. The average property rate increase is 5.9%; Electricity is up by 12.72%; Water is up by 13% for residents and 14% for businesses; Sanitation is up by 11%; and Solid waste is up by 9%. Daily Maverick sent the city a detailed list of questions relating to the budget, which it says the treasury department wants to answer fully. We will share this when it becomes available. In broad strokes, the budget allows R63-billion for operational expenses and R7.3-billion for capital projects. The big-ticket items include bulk purchases from uMngeni-uThukela Water (R5.7-billion) and Eskom (R18.7-billion). The city spends R15.2-billion on salaries for about 24,000 staff, R7.6 billion on contractors and R1-billion on interest for loans. Debt crisis The city's big issue is growing debt. Residents owe R35.5-billion, which the city puts down to the economic crunch, but critics say rates and services are too costly. Of the total debt, 40% is for unpaid water. Outstanding property rates and unpaid electricity account for 25% and 15%. Most of the debt (75%) is owed by households. Businesses owe 20% and state departments the balance. In December 2023, the debtor's book was at R28-billion. A year later, it was at R35.5-billion, which had risen to R38.6-billion by April. This means the city will need to borrow more or bill more for services. In a bid to staunch the losses, it is offering businesses and residents a chance to write off 50% of their debt if they settle before the end of June. The valuation roll has only 554,280 rated properties (481,000 residences, 17,000 businesses and 7,000 industrial). About 330,000 properties are valued at less than R350,000 and rates-exempt. Another 150,000 are worth more than R350,000, but are not rateable. Durban, with a population of about four million, has more informal settlements than any other city in the country (about 600 with 314,000 households). And, other metros in South Africa have more rate-paying households. Figures from the Centre for Affordable Housing Finance in Africa show about 824,000 residential properties on the deeds registry in Johannesburg and about 767,000 in Cape Town. In eThekwini, the Ingonyama Trust (land administered by the Zulu king) controls huge swathes of land where properties are not rated. Alan Beesley is an accountant, a former eThekwini councillor and ActionSA's finance spokesman. 'The only way for the city to fix its books is to spend less and offer a better service that will attract more ratepayers. At the moment, Durban has a shrinking ratepayer base subsidising a growing number of people not paying for services.' Business backlash Xaba has promised the city will bring in more money from rates and services, and that officials will waste less and work harder. 'Dashboards linked to service delivery targets' are among a host of measures to improve and cut annual water losses of R2-billion. 'We will bury potholes, sweep the streets, cut the verges and keep the lights on,' Xaba promised. Reaction to the budget has been testy. The Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry is concerned with low confidence in the municipality's ability to spend on priorities. There was a 'continuous disconnect' between what happened on the ground in Durban and the 'grand plans' emerging from the Presidential Working Group. 'We need to see meaningful action with key timelines and tangible reforms that will accelerate service delivery and reverse the economic decline,' the chamber said. Water losses might be higher because many meters were 'dysfunctional or not working at all'. Tariff tensions The Ethekwini Ratepayers Protest Movement (ERPM) is tired of city hall promises. ERPM's Rose Cortes roasted the 'habit of reckless lending and spending', saying some parts of the municipality were 'delinquent'. The ERPM says city billing is a mess. 'For example, they didn't read the water meters for extended periods and some residents had underground leaks which they didn't know about. Then, when they actually read the meter, you are hit with a massive bill you can't pay. They won't give us stats on how many meter readers they have. The contractors are paid, but they don't read the meters, some for as long as 500 days.' Cortes says some houses valued at less than R350,000, which qualify for rates exemption, free water and discounted electricity, don't receive this benefit, but others that don't qualify do. The only way to stop blatant theft and crooked deals was line-by-line scrutiny of spending. Cortes said the city recently ran out of money to pay contracted plumbers and even the mayor expressed concerns about the poor workmanship by contractors. Also, city schemes to provide poor relief were dubious, Cortes said. 'Reports on indigent households are inaccurate and the process to register for indigent care is ineffective and stupid.' ERPM's chair Asad Gafar said 500,000 ratepayers effectively cross-subsidised eThekwini's four million-plus residents. 'Ratepayers wouldn't object to the cross-subsidy if the city improved the lives of the poor, but it doesn't. Instead, losses increased, like the water that bleeds into the ground through leaking pipes, or just flows 24/7 at standpipes, unmonitored. Or, the water is pumped into tankers by the mafias and then dumped so they can turn the truck around and fill it up and get paid for another trip.' Broken billing Democratic Alliance councillor Alicia Kissoon sits on the city's finance committee. She said the budget was 'polished on paper', but operationally detached. The real picture emerged in the adjustments budget, where money was 'constantly reallocated in a cycle of crisis management which is like robbing Peter to pay Paul'. R345-million for 100 new water tankers was a prime example of short-term thinking. 'Tankers do not fix leaking infrastructure. It masks a systemic failure to repair broken pipes.' Kissoon said it was unsustainable for so many residents not to pay for rates and services. The city was dealing with a 'dangerous culture of administrative neglect, contractor abuse and non-payment.' Inkatha Freedom Party councillor Jonathan Annipen voted for the budget because the city provided free services to poor residents. He praised the city's recent 'determined effort at transparency'. To 'avoid collapse', the city had to improve revenue collection, debt recovery and credit control. But, Annipen said, billing was bedevilled. 'Daily, we hear heart-wrenching stories where frail, elderly and disabled citizens have their services disconnected, and the city has no credible dispute mechanism. I intervened in the case of a pensioner who was suicidal because he was lumped with a R1.3-million monthly bill for water and electricity, but investigations revealed he was actually owed a credit. 'People wait three months for a water leak to be repaired. Water is flowing down the street by gallons and you call the contact centre, they tell you the fault has been closed.' DM
TimesLIVE
28-05-2025
- Business
- TimesLIVE
KZN municipality to give poor 10,000 litres of free water a month
Poor households in the iLembe district municipality on the KwaZulu-Natal north coast will get 10,000 litres of water for free per month, while the rich will have to pay 13% more. At a media briefing in KwaDukuza on Wednesday after passing a budget of R1.9bn for the financial year 2025/2026, iLembe mayor Thobani Shandu said they regretted the increased water tariffs. 'The council has adopted a 13% increase for water and sanitation, down from the proposed 13.5% tabled during the council sitting of March 26,' said Shandu. 'It is important to note our increment is aligned with uMngeni-uThukela Water's bulk tariff hike. We are unlike some of neighbours who have opted to add input costs. 'Households valued at R130,000 or less will be exempt from sewer charges. These charges will be capped to the household value of R5m.'
IOL News
28-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Msunduzi Mayor Mzimkhulu Thebolla outlines budget plans to stabilise finances, boost economy
Msunduzi Municipality Mayor Mzimkhulu Thebolla tabled the City's budget on Wednesday. Image: Supplied Msunduzi Municipality mayor Mzimkhulu Thebolla has committed his administration to addressing key challenges faced by the municipality, stabilising its finances, and growing the city's economy. The mayor tabled the City's budget for the 2025-2026 financial year on Wednesday. The budget comes as the municipality is operating in a financially challenging environment, including that it owes R2 billion to uMngeni-uThukela Water and Eskom. Addressing the council, the mayor said, 'In formulating this budget, we have ensured that it is based on a financially sound plan that will stabilise the City's finances while prioritising service delivery for all.' He added that one of the core priorities is to stabilise the City's finances, and this can only be achieved by capacitating their revenue collection work streams to support the Operation Qoqimali campaign. 'A project management office has been established to take charge of each aspect of the City's revenue value chain. This includes rolling out prepaid electricity meters, dispatching bills, speedily resolving disputes, as well as implementing credit control and debt collection measures, such as issuing summons against debtors. 'We have already issued almost 40,000 letters of demand to defaulting consumers who run up high service bills and fail to pay the City. We thank those who have been paying their bills on time and in full, and we call on those who have not to make payment arrangements or apply to the Affordability Committee for debt relief,' he continued. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ He emphasised that it is important for the public to be aware that electricity theft is a crime and that all forms of illegal connections are a criminal offence. This is not a faceless crime; electricity theft costs the City tens of millions in lost revenue per year. 'This is stealing much-needed revenue from the City and denying fellow residents enhanced service delivery. To combat this, we will continue to work with communities and law enforcement to arrest offenders and impose hefty penalties,' said the mayor. 'The budget speech we are tabling today seeks to sustain the momentum we have built in accelerating the shared growth of our economy, creating new opportunities for employment through service delivery and fighting poverty, building healthy and safe communities, deepening democracy, and building an effective and caring municipality. 'Msunduzi is the home of a dream that refuses to die, a dream that says tomorrow must be better than today. The same faith that carried us through the darkness now fuels our pursuit of renewal and progress. For 30 years, we have built, we have endured, and we have risen. We are a city that carries the weight of history and the hope of the future. We are the home of heroes and heroines, of liberation songs and labour anthems, of sorrow turned into strength,' the mayor concluded. THE MERCURY
IOL News
03-05-2025
- General
- IOL News
New Kwa-Ximba Package Plant launched to enhance water supply for 18 villages in KZN
The water treatment plant in KwaXimba, eThekwini Ward 1, will supply over 7ml/d of water throughout the area. Image: eThekwini Municipality KwaZulu-Natal's Kwa-Ximba Package Plant, which reticulates water to 18 villages situated in eThekwini Municipality's Ward 1, was officially opened on Friday. The R378 million two-phased package plant will transport potable water via a 7.4 kilometre pipeline to two command reservoirs in the area. According to the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), the two reservoirs will supply 18 villages in and around Kwa-Ximba. The villages include Mvini, Bhobhonono, Nkandla, Nonoti, Msunduze, Mhali, Esiweni, Livapo, Nconcosi, Ntukusweni, Zwelisha, Kajabula, Othweba, Kwanyoni, Skhoxe, Kwadenge, and Emngacwini. The area of Kwa-Ximba previously depended on a reservoir in Cato Ridge, which received treated water from Midmar Water Treatment Works through the Western Aqueduct. Minister of DWS Pemmy Majodina said the project consists of the completed first phase of a water treatment portable plant, which supplies 2 megalitres per day (ml/d), and a second one that was upgraded to supply 7 ml/d. Majodina said the plant was commissioned last year and is operating well and will remain under the custodianship of uMngeni-uThukela Water (UUW). 'Due to population growth, Cato Ridge reservoir could no longer provide a reliable water supply to communities. The reservoir did not receive sufficient volumes to be able to cater for all the areas, including the villages. The two package plants will, therefore, be able to improve the water supply to these communities,' Majodina explained. The upgraded facility is set to supply 7 million litres of clean water daily to Ward 1, the largest ward in eThekwini Municipality. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ The UUW described the milestone project as a major step toward resolving long-standing water challenges and strengthening water security for the KwaXimba community. The UUW said the water supply will reach 3 000 households in KwaXimba. Previously, there were some villages which did not have reliable water supply due to insufficient water in the command reservoirs, because of leaks. Majodina said this has been addressed by the municipality to ensure that the reservoirs are sustainably being filled with water. Majodina urged the Kwa-Ximba community to protect the pipeline and water system from vandalism. Sello Seitlholo, deputy minister of DWS, stated that the delivery of bulk infrastructure was a major task in the country. He said one of the biggest crises in South Africa is that, although we do have our raw water, the quality of it is deteriorating. "It costs a lot of money to treat the water. The wastewater treatment works, the factories, and the agricultural sector pollute the rivers. As a department, we have a responsibility to make sure our municipalities, agricultural sectors, and industries can discharge water that would be able to pair up with the other water quality that we find in our rivers and dams," he said. "If the raw water is of bad quality, uMngeni-uThukela Water spends a lot of money treating the water. It means that if eThekwini buys this water, it will cost more. The consumers will also buy the water at an exorbitant price. So there is a value chain in terms of the availability of water quality. We hope that we do not come back after two years and witness any vandalism," Seitlholo said. Mdu Nkosi, IFP councillor and the chairperson of the Trading Services Committee in eThekwini Municipality, said the Kwa-Ximba pipeline and other scheme projects will assist the community immensely. Nkosi stated that the area was given additional capacity than required to cater for future developments. He added that water tankering services could be withdrawn from the area. "Our intention is to ensure people get water through pipes in their houses so that the city can account for water usage and loss. It is important to develop these rural areas because people have the impression that those living in suburbs and townships only deserve water, which is not the case," Nkosi said.
