The Water and Sanitation Department is getting tough with local municipalities refusing to pay their bills.
The department has told thirty municipalities across the country to settle their debt or face water cuts. It says it is owed a total of R10.7 billion by the defaulting municipalities with other debts also accrued from previous financial years.
Sputnik Ratau, Director Media Liaison at Department Of Water & Sanitation says they sent out the notices on Friday and is hoping the municipalities will comply.
This isn't a new issue and we've tried a number of processes to get it undone.
— Sputnik Ratau, Director Media Liaison at Department Of Water & Sanitation
Ratau says some of the big municipalities owing the department are Mangaung in the Free State, Mbombela and Emalahleni in Mpumalanga.
The 8th of December will be the determining day of what happens next.
— Sputnik Ratau, Director Media Liaison at Department Of Water & Sanitation
Ratau explains that there is a commitment from the minister of finance and various MECs to see how some of these issues can be resolved.
For more commentary from the department of water and sanitation listen to the audio clip below:
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