eThekwini relief to indebted residents ‘not enough’
The eThekwini Ratepayers and Residents Association has welcomed the municipality’s plan to provide debt relief to customers facing mounting water bills.
The city has announced a 50% write-off on customer arrears accumulated by the end of January.
The special debt relief programme, approved at Wednesday’s council meeting, will run until the end of June.
The city says the move will help reduce water debt, which now sits at R14.7 billion.
It is largely due to underground leaks and short-term insurance payments.
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The association's Ish Prahladh says a lasting solution to the water crisis is still needed.
"The municipality has so much revenue coming in and so much revenue being spent unwisely on corruption. If they stop all that, they won't have a problem.
"They actually need to make sure that the money they're spending on contractors and plumbers is being used wisely and not being overspent."
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