An outraged Pietermaritzburg community has rallied to provide water to a local high school which, in the midst of matric trials, had its water and electricity cut by the Msunduzi municipality because of a “R2m rates debt”.
The municipality has spared no defaulters, including government entities, businesses and residents, since the recent launch of a disconnection drive to recoup R5.5bn.
On Facebook on Tuesday, Raisethorpe Secondary principal PT Gounden set the record straight. He said the school had paid its utility bill, but the provincial public works department owed the municipality outstanding rates.
Msunduzi said on Tuesday the school owed R2m.
Gounden, who posted on his personal Facebook page, said: “As principal, I wish to place on record that our school’s municipal account, which includes lights, water and refuse removal, is paid for by the school and is always fully and timeously paid up.
“Please note that our school was disconnected for the outstanding rates owed by the department of public works.
“Is it fair for the Msunduzi municipality to assert that Raisethorpe Secondary has been disconnected for owing the municipality over R2m?”
In a letter addressed to acting city manager Nelisiwe Ngcobo on Monday, the provincial public works department said government entities' outstanding payments would be made before the end of September.
The department urged the municipality to “reconnect the electricity at various provincial facilities as this had a negative impact on service delivery to the people of KZN, including the learning environment for schoolchildren”.
Local resident Sherwin Naidu told TimesLIVE Premium on Wednesday that the community was outraged that pupils and staff were paying the price for public works' failure to settle outstanding rates.
“The school is still without electricity. However, community members have rallied to ensure water tankers are sent there.
“People are angry that the children have to go through this in the middle of exams. They are being deprived of their basic human right to water,” said Naidu.
The DA said the provincial public works department “has placed the city in a quandary and the collateral damage is unfortunately the scholars of Msunduzi”.
“The public works department and Msunduzi must follow the proper process to ensure schools are not affected by a breakdown in intergovernmental relations.
“The department has acknowledged [it is] the account holder, not the affected schools.
“It must be held accountable for the disruption in services that is causing great distress to scholars during exams. We cannot allow our schools to be used as cannon fodder when provincial departments fail to make payments.”
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