Eskom and Rand Water accounts payment due at the end of January

Rand Water's media liaison officer, Mr Justice Mohale said in a press statement on 16 January, two days prior to meeting with a delegation from the GMM, the water supplier expected Govan Mbeki Municipality to pay more than R87, 7- million on 31 January.

January 23, 2019

Ridge TImes Editorial Team 3 minutes read

Volunteers offload water in Bethal after the communities, businesses, the Community Policing Forums (CPF) and Secuna Angels took hands and began collecting water for Bethal residents.

HIGHVELD – Although the Govan Mbeki Municipality has reached an agreement and paid Rand Water an unknown amount off on their huge outstanding debt to pacify the water supplier into allowing a little more water pressure to the area, the imminent crisis is far from averted.

And although water was back to being pumped at 80 per cent pressure on Friday afternoon, most of the households in Bethal that were without running water for more than 11 days, still had no water in their taps by Monday, 21 January.

Ms Marietjie Fourie, DA ward councillor in Bethal, said on Monday afternoon that water is pouring in at a steady pace. She asked residents to be patient.

Rand Water and GMM announced on Friday, 18 January that an agreement has been reached, but neither seems prepared to share the detail of this agreement, nor the amount of money that was paid, with the public.

Rand Water’s media liaison officer, Mr Justice Mohale said in a press statement on 16 January, two days prior to meeting with a delegation from the GMM, the water supplier expected Govan Mbeki Municipality to pay more than R87, 7- million on 31 January.

Mr Mohale said in the statement that failure to pay this amount on time would result in even more severe action as a way of compelling the municipality to settle their accounts.

If this remains the case even after the undisclosed amount was paid on Friday, the residents of Govan Mbeki Municipality will be facing an even bigger mountain.

The DA reminded residents that a payment to Eskom is also due on 31 January.

GMM owes the power giant almost R1- billion.

Mr Wybrandt Coetzee, spokesman for The Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) in Mpumalanga, said the department has noted with concern the escalating water crisis in Govan Mbeki Municipality.

“In view of this, the Department will bring all affected stakeholders involved in the provision of water to resolve the matter. We are optimistic that the matter will be resolved in order to ensure that water is provided accordingly,” said Mr Coetzee.

He appealed to communities in the Govan Mbeki Municipality to use water sparingly.

“In the meantime, Cogta and the Provincial Treasury, in consultation with the Department of Water and Sanitation through their Standing Task Team, will look into all municipalities in the province that are owing water utilities in the province.”

The lack of water has so far forced some schools to close and businesses to run into huge financial losses.

Jim van Tonderskool and its hostels had to close on Wednesday, 16 January, because they do not have water. The school and hostel however, opened again on Tuesday, 22 January.

The abattoir in Bethal has been non-operational for 10 days, because there is no running water to comply with the health regulations.

Farmers were forced to take their animals back home, because the abattoir was unable to supply the livestock with clean water.

In the meantime, help began pouring in from other communities and neighbouring towns such as Hendrina that delivered about 20 000l of drinking water to the Bethal CPF and Laerskool Marietjie van Niekerk for distribution on Saturday, 19 January.

Bethal residents who have water, opened their homes to those without and those with boreholes gladly gave to others in need.

Ms Laurna Coetzer, manager and inspector at Bethal SPCA, and the staff visited eMzinoni last week with water to rehydrate animals in eMzinoni.

The Secunda Angels, the Community Policing Forums from Secunda, Evander, Trichardt and Bethal, numerous local businesses, schools in Secunda and individuals have embarked on a water collecting initiative, #Water for Bethal.

They are continuing to collect drinkable water and plan to transport their mass collection to Bethal on Friday.

People who want to be part of this initiative, can still drop off their donations at the Echo/Ridge offices or at 14 Leuven Street in Evander, 6 Juta Street, 38 Wolwespruit Street, 8 Bosbok Street and 28 Wilge Street in Secunda and at Nikkor in Carolus Street in Trichardt.

The areas affected by Rand Water’s credit control measures (throttling) included parts of Bethal, Leandra, Kinross, Thistle Grove, eMzinoni and parts of Extention 22 in Secunda.