eThekwini's R15bn water strategy faces fierce criticism from ratepayers

eThekwini ratepayer associations bombarded Mayor Cyril Xaba with complaints surrounding the water crisis in the city during a meeting on Thursday. 

Ratepayers were informed about the Implementation Plan/Action Plan of the city's water turnaround strategy (TAS). The strategy is for five years. The eThekwini Water and Sanitation TAS was presented by Simon Scruton and the former City Manager Sbu Sithole. 

Ratepayers took advantage of the meeting to express their community concerns about a wide range of issues, including incorrect billing and unattended water leaks.

Xaba said he was concerned about the 56% non-revenue water and the water loss amounting to R2 billion.

Sithole said a proposed eThekwini Water business unit on its own has been envisioned to address poor levels of governance, monitor staff, and also the bid adjudication committee (BAC). He also spoke about consequence management for transgressors. 

Seven days ago, the eThekwini Ratepayers Protest Movement (ERPM) handed the municipality a memorandum of grievances and gave them 14 days to respond. 

On Friday, chairperson of ERPM, Asad Gaffar, described the strategy as a “rehashing” of old unkept promises and timelines that have done nothing to restore the trust deficit that the city is responsible for creating. 

Gaffar: “It became clear that the ratepayers’ associations across the metro have been so starved for an audience and communication with the city that it degenerated into a glorified call centre setting of desperate pleas for assistance and remedy in areas across the city.”

He added that what should have been an opportunity to interrogate the strategy was “nothing more than a public participation tick box exercise” conducted by municipal administration who “did not even bother to circulate the presentation to the attendees”.

Gaffar said the ERPM and its partners in this water crisis have demanded ratepayer oversight on this turnaround strategy as a safety mechanism to ensure that, among other things: 

1. It makes it off the PowerPoint format and hits the ground;
2. Cost is interrogated according to market-related prices and not inflated by opportunistic contractors whose practices pilfer the budget;
3. Work being carried out is done in a sustainable manner that ensures holistic repair that will serve the citizenry beyond two-week relief from bursts and leaks. 

Gaffar said there was a time when the ratepayers felt appreciated when the city previously hosted these engagements of consultations, but that time is over.

“We feel insulted and dismissed. The city needs to do better and it’s time they are held to a higher standard. We are the ERPM. And we demand a better standard. Our memorandum of demands is still in play,” Gaffar said. 

eThekwini Ratepayers and Residents Association (ERRA) president Ish Prahladh regarded the meeting as informative.

Prahladh said many did not understand that the strategy was not yet implemented but will be phased in.

“Ratepayers spoke for their suburbs and gave a list of current problems which the city is well aware of. If the strategy is implemented it appears that there will be an improvement. There will be follow up meetings as well where our feedback will be noted,” Prahladh said.

In 2023, the municipality announced that a support team was established to develop long-lasting solutions that will ensure the provision of sustainable water supply to consumers in eThekwini. 

The team, including Sithole, was tasked to develop long-lasting solutions that will ensure the provision of sustainable water supply to consumers. The support team comprises highly skilled local government administrators, who are former accounting officers and have extensive experience in governance and management of water services authorities. 

Prahladh also welcomed the inclusion of Sithole as  part of the panel.

“It is great to have people like him around because of his expertise and knowledge in running eThekwini,” he said.

In five years, the EWS intends to replace 160 000 water meters at a cost of R1.1 billion. Additionally, R2.6 billion will be spent over five years to replace 890 kilometres of water pipes. Over the next five years, the EWS plans to invest R15 billion in capital expenditures. 

zainul.dawood@inl.co.za