Controversial water billing disputes remained unresolved when Umzinyathi District Municipality presented its Draft Budget and Integrated Development Plan (IDP) at the Moth Hall.

Residents have repeatedly raised concerns about disputed municipal accounts and ongoing water meter removals, despite the municipality announcing multi-million-rand infrastructure projects aimed at improving water and sanitation services across the district.

Residents raise billing frustrations

One Glencoe resident, who asked not to be named, claimed municipal officials arrived last week to remove water meters despite her account reflecting a credit balance.

“My account showed a credit of R1 200, but they still said I owed thousands according to their records,” she alleged.

The issue has frequently been discussed at Endumeni Chamber of Business meetings, with the chamber’s executive committee expected to meet Umzinyathi District Mayor Thembisile Mchunu and newly appointed Municipal Manager MV Ntanzi to seek possible solutions.

During the meeting, Mayor Mchunu and Endumeni Mayor Mcebo Mkhize outlined several infrastructure projects aimed at addressing long-standing service delivery challenges.

Mchunu said R307-million has been allocated through the Municipal Infrastructure Grant to repair and upgrade water and sewer infrastructure across the district.

Among the planned projects is R16-million earmarked for upgrades to the Dundee water treatment plant, which has struggled to meet demand and contributed to water-shedding in the area for nearly 18 years.

Additional allocations include R6.8-million for improvements to the Wasbank water supply system, R6.7-million to provide water to Ruigtefontein and Kunene Farm, and R2.2-million for sanitation upgrades in Wasbank.

“When I was appointed as mayor last year, it was my wish to restore water to areas that previously had supply. It is encouraging that R2.9-million has been allocated to repair old systems so that water can flow again,” Mchunu said.

She added that the district’s borehole rollout programme would continue during the current financial year.

However, the borehole project has also faced criticism. DA councillor Naresh Gopie alleged that an outside contractor was paid R800 000 per borehole when a “reasonable price” would be about R120 000.

Umzinyathi Municipality had not commented on the allegations at the time of publication.