Rand Water unbothered by court order

Govan Mbeki Municipality (GMM) owes the Rand Water Board (RWB) in excess of R355-million, and has repeatedly failed to honor payment agreements set out between RWB and GMM. To date, the water pressure has been reduced by 70%, leaving many residents and businesses high and dry. At this time, GMM is expected to pay approximately R50 million to RWB every 45 days. However, this payment covers the current account, and not the old debt and interest it has accumulated. Despite GMM winning a High Court case against Rand Water, scores of residents in Bethal, eMzinoni, Secunda, Trichardt, Evander, Kinross and eMbalenhle are still left without water.

AfriForum has also stepped into the fray, lodging a case against WRB to ensure that residents are supplied with water. AfriForum also believes that GMM should be held accountable for the water crisis, stating that mismanagement of the repayment has led to the current crisis. According to the executive mayor of GMM, Mr Nhlakanipho Zuma, RWB had not opened the valves to let water through to the GMM area as required, and had failed to pump water to the region that includes Bethal. At this time, the water is supplied to reservoirs, but it is still an uphill battle as many residents and business are still without water due to the low reservoir levels.