Water losses in the 17 ANC-led municipalities cost Mpumalanga more than R1-billion in the 2016/2017 municipal financial year with Lekwa Municipality’s 91% wastage taking first position.
The above statistics were released by the Democratic Alliance (DA) who referred to a 93% for last year.
According to a DA-presentation to the Portfolio Committee of Cooperative Governance, municipalities lost R1.099-billion because officials failed to adequately address water leakages and electricity theft,
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The DA said they also failed to create sound revenue collection systems for water and electricity usage.
The following five municipalities are the biggest contributors to the province’s water losses;
• Lekwa (Standerton)– 91%
• eMalahleni (Witbank) – 69.93%
• Dipaleseng (Balfour) – 66%
• Thaba Chweu (Lydenburg) – 66%
• Emakhazeni (Belfast) – 55%
The Standerton Advertiser sent an e-mail with questions regarding the water wastage within Standerton to Ms Thobeka Mtshiselwa, spokesman of the municipality, and is awaiting a response.
Read the complete article in the next edition of the Standerton Advertiser.
