The year-long efforts of the DA to have Nelson Mandela Bay’s punitive water tariffs removed have finally borne fruit, as the ANC agreed with us during two portfolio committee meetings this week.
Since November last year, I have submitted seven motions to the Office of the Speaker, requesting that the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality’s punitive water tariffs be reduced. However, the Speaker has refused to table these motions for debate in Council.
Apart from the Impofu Dam, all our dams are overflowing. Impofu is close to 60% full and continues to rise daily but the ANC-led coalition government has remained adamant about maintaining water restrictions and the punitive water tariffs.
On 28 November 2024, during the Budget and Treasury Portfolio Committee meeting, while reviewing a report about the Municipality’s high debtor book and low collection rate, they agreed with the DA that the punitive water tariffs should be eliminated.
They also decided that these tariffs should be moved from Part C to Part B, at least.
The punitive water tariffs have severely impacted the Municipality’s ability to collect payments on outstanding bills, proving them to be very counter-productive.
In the 2023/24 period, unpaid bills for water and the associated punitive tariffs accounted for 65% of the Municipality’s total debt impairment. This was the third-largest cost driver on the Operating Budget, contributing R15 billion to the debtor book.
As a result, during the Infrastructure and Engineering Portfolio Committee meeting, the committee also acknowledged that the punitive tariffs are harming the Metro’s collection rate, as residents are struggling to pay their accounts. The committee further noted that the Municipality’s current water situation does not justify the continued imposition of these tariffs.
We now urge the ANC to exert pressure on the Speaker to ensure that our motions are debated at the next Council meeting.
Under the Water Services Act, the responsibility for implementing water tariffs lies with the Municipality, and the Council can resolve to remove the punitive tariffs.
We will continue to fight for the removal of these burdensome tariffs.
The DA is in your corner fighting for you. Together we can get Nelson Mandela Bay working again.