FOLLOWING today’s (Wednesday) abrupt cutting of water services to many communities across the region by uMngeni-uThukela Water (UUW), King Cetshwayo District Municipality (KCDM) is set to convene an urgent council meeting to discuss the way forward.

KCDM Mayor Sikhumbuzo Dlamini said the district sincerely apologises to the communities who may be affected due to a ‘callous decision’ by the UUW board to restrict the supply of water to the district.

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“A letter was received yesterday communicating such, and today it’s been implemented without proper consultation. Furthermore, it would appear that they are going beyond the 20% they indicated in the letter,” said Dlamini.

The mayor added that a special council meeting is being convened tomorrow to decide on the status of the contract with the UUW board following its decision to renege on the contract.

“The inhumane act of cutting off the supply, which comes at severe cost to our communities, is not taken lightly by the leadership of the district,” added Dlamini.

At a recent public meeting with former WSSA workers, the district municipal manager made it clear they would want to part ways with UUW before June because of an unresolved debt dispute.

In 2024, the Zululand Observer reported that KCDM was named in the top 10 list of municipalities that owe water boards nationally, with over R875-million in unserviced debt to UUW, a revelation by the South African Local Government Association’s (Salga) municipal debt portfolio committee report.

This is a developing story and the Zululand Observer will keep readers abreast of any updates.

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