Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM) has laid the failure to provide basic services to the ratepayers in Three Rivers on its poor financial situation. However, councilors are saying it is unacceptable that residents, have to suffer due to the incompetence of the municipality. Councilors Elize Aucamp and Yvonne Coertze have said that the Democratic Alliance (DA) will not sit idle and accept poorly crafted political statements about poor finances preventing service delivery. According Aucamp and Coertze, they alerted the municipality months ago of 28 households that failed to rezone or pay capital contributions while owing R7.5 million in rates and taxes. “To date, none of these properties have been disconnected or made an attempt to pay outstanding rates and taxes.” We will continue to push the municipality to collect money from nonpaying residents to ensure that quality services are being delivered to those that pay.” As a result, a 3-kilometre cable that needs urgent replacement to ensure the power cuts in Three Rivers are being halted will cost nearly a million rand, which can be done if the municipality collects the outstanding R7.5 million.