Emfuleni municipality promises to pay its R180m water bill

The Emfuleni Local Municipality’s water supply will not be cut off after in it reached an agreement on paying the R180 million it owes Rand Water.

The meeting‚ attended by the Department of Water and Sanitation‚ the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements‚ the municipality and Rand Water‚ took place at the Sedibeng District Municipality offices in Vereeniging on Friday.

The municipality‚ into which Evaton‚ Sebokeng‚ Vaal Oewer‚ Vanderbijlpark‚ Vereeniging fall‚ will pay R150 million on 11 December and the shortfall of R30 million will be paid over 24 months at R11 million a month.

The municipality’s mayor‚ Jacob Khawe‚ said: “I want to assure residents of Emfuleni residents‚ business and various other users that we are working on billing improvement‚ and assure them that there will not be any water cuts and lives will not be interrupted.”

About 11 other defaulting municipalities have said they want to come to payment arrangements with the Water and Sanitation Department.

Minister Nomvula Mokonyane said the agreement between Rand Water and Emfuleni shows outcomes anticipated through negotiations between the Water and Sanitation Department‚ Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs‚ the Treasury‚ Rand Water and defaulting municipalities.