The DA will address the unjust treatment of residents and the business sector in the Inxuba Yethemba Local Municipality (IYLM) in the Eastern Cape Legislature, after the Chris Hani District Municipality (CHDM) began cutting off water supplies, targeting those allegedly in arrears on their water accounts.
The district municipality is responsible for water provision to the IYLM and took this drastic action despite its billing system being in disarray for over a decade.
The decision violates agreements made with local business forums in Cradock and Middelburg, which fall under the IYLM.
Local businesses and residents have been struggling with the ANC-governed CHDM’s faulty billing system, often receiving inaccurate or missing bills. Some accounts show exorbitant amounts owed for properties with no meters, broken meters, or meters buried underground, making accurate readings impossible.
Residents and local business owners have followed the proper procedures by declaring disputes with the CHDM and participating in numerous meetings to find a resolution. In good faith, business forums in Cradock and Middelburg entered into agreements with the CHDM to address these issues. However, the CHDM is now disregarding these agreements and proceeding with widespread water disconnections.
The DA has reported the CHDM’s unjust actions to the MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Zolile Williams, calling for an urgent investigation and intervention. Disrupting water supplies while the billing system is dysfunctional, and agreements are ignored is unacceptable.
The DA also demands that the District Municipality immediately cease disconnections and engage with residents and businesses to find fair and just solutions.
Access to sufficient water is a fundamental human right, yet residents and businesses are being unfairly penalised. Legal disputes have been lodged to challenge these billing irregularities, and affected parties have engaged with the municipality to resolve the crisis.
The DA will continue to fight for the people of the Inxuba Yethemba Local Municipality and will not allow incompetence to deprive them of their basic rights.