The City of Joburg had to negotiate their way into Leeukop Prison in Fourways with the prison officials after they were ambushed with an outstanding amount of R9.6m water usage bill at their gate last week.

Although the municipality understood it was part of the protocol, there was a bit of tension as the prison officials refused to co-operate with them. However, the officials from the City of Joburg were hell-bent on what they came for – to disconnect their services because the prison failed to adhere to a payment arrangement made during consultations on August 10.

The correctional services facility was left without water and according to the City of Joburg CFO Tebogo Moraka, their services would be disconnected until an acknowledgement of debt is received.

“Leeukop is an organ of the state, so we expect them to enter into an acknowledgement of debt. Once that is done, they must honour it and start paying for the services. We will reconnect them once they either acknowledge the debt or make a payment of monies due,” he explained.

This was part of the municipality’s credit control drive. “The operation is just the start of one of many more operations to come. We are aggressively pursuing those customers who owe us and are not coming forward to settle their growing debt, nor come forward to sign the Acknowledgment of Debt and plead their case. We have no choice but to switch off our services to those not coming forward to pay their arrear debt.”

When reached for comment, the media spokesperson of the correctional services facility, Sinagabakho Nxumalo, said they have been asking for invoices from the City of Joburg but to no avail.

“[Therefore] it was disturbing when services were suddenly disconnected without being invoiced. Nevertheless, a payment was made yesterday for services made to be reconnected,” he added.

Nkosana Lekotjolo from the City of Joburg confirmed that the correctional services facility has settled the whole amount of money that they owed on August 11. “We reconnected their services the following day because we were waiting for it to reflect.”

The municipality has indicated in a media statement that its current debtor’s book is sitting close to R47b, which includes rates and taxes, sewer, electricity and water and it is unsustainable.