Ilembe to hike water tariffs by 9.5%
Ilembe has defended its proposed tariff hikes, saying the increases are beyond its control.
The municipality intends to push up water and sewerage costs by 9.5%.
The district municipality says water supply remains a significant challenge.
Some 20% of residents still don't have access to the resource.
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Ilembe's Thami Mngomezulu says the tariff increase follows cost adjustments by bulk water supplier Umgeni-Uthukela Water.
"Umgeni Water increased their tariffs of charges by 9%. Basically, Ilembe Municipality only increased by 0.5%, as the 9% increase from Umgeni was for bulk water.
"Had Ilembe District Municipality increased below what Umgeni increased, that means the municipality wouldn't have been able to sustain its mandate of supplying communities with water, and there would have been a great shortfall, which the municipality would have had to subsidies."
