Ratepayers are apprehensive about the Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) department's latest study into the water challenges in the eThekwini Municipality.

On Monday, Chairperson of Cogta's portfolio committee, Marlaine Nair said they would undertake a focused intervention study on the municipality's water supply.

Nair said there has been widespread concerns and grievances expressed by residents which prompted the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature’s portfolio committee on Cogta to intervene.

“A consultative session is a significant step toward addressing potential corruption and mismanagement. We strongly believe that compiling a comprehensive report incorporating representations from various stakeholders will be beneficial to ensure a unified and informed approach toward resolving the crisis,” Nair said.

Inputs must be submitted by April 2, 2025.

EThekwini Ratepayers Protest Movement (ERPM) chairperson Asad Gaffar said that Cogta did not pitch up to their protest at Curries Fountain on March 1.

The ERPM and its stakeholders handed in a list of demands to the eThekwini Municipality, one of them was oversight of contracts, mechanisms, completion and sign off and budgets so that ratepayers can ensure greater accountability, transparency, and value for money in the Metro’s operations.

Clermont and KwaDabeka ratepayers representative Sizwe Goge said they have been without a water supply to their taps for close to four weeks.

Goge said there was more water leaking onto the road from underground pipe leaks than in their taps.

"Every road has a water leak yet there is no water in the taps. It has disrupted our lives and even some of the schools have had to close because of the crises."

Alice Govender of the Phoenix Civic and Ratepayers Association, said the municipality has long lost the plot to repair, replace and add onto the existing infrastructure.

“We have pensioners who are injured as they navigate dozens of flights of stairs and walk long distances to fetch water. School children don't have clean clothes and schools close when there's no water,” Govender said.

Raakhee Bridgemohan, of the Shallcross Civic and Ratepayers Association (Scara) said they have been pushed to the edge without any accountability.

“We pay our rates, we pay for services, but we get nothing in return!” she said.

Verulam Water Crisis Committee spokesperson Roshan Lil-Ruthan felt that the study will only take what information the committee are fed and make it their own. Lil-Ruthan said the municipality and the provincial government were not addressing core problems and past mistakes.

“While the officials acknowledges the problems and outlines steps to address them, the true test will be in the execution and willingness to hold responsible parties accountable. The residents of eThekwini deserve decisive action and results, not just plans and promises,” he said.

The municipality presented a Water and Sanitation Turnaround Strategy Business Plan to ratepayers last week. The eThekwini Water Services (EWS) intends to invest R25 billion in Public-Private Partnership (PPP) initiatives.

In five years, the EWS intends to replace 160,000 water meters at a cost of R1.1 billion. Additionally, R2,6 billion will be spent over five years to replace 890 kilometers of water pipes. Over the next five years, the EWS plans to invest R15 billion in capital expenditures.

zainul.dawood@inl.co.za