KZN municipality to give poor 10,000 litres of free water a month
Poor households in the iLembe district municipality on the KwaZulu-Natal north coast will get 10,000 litres of water for free per month, while the rich will have to pay 13% more.
At a media briefing in KwaDukuza on Wednesday after passing a budget of R1.9bn for the financial year 2025/2026, iLembe mayor Thobani Shandu said they regretted the increased water tariffs.
'The council has adopted a 13% increase for water and sanitation, down from the proposed 13.5% tabled during the council sitting of March 26,' said Shandu.
'It is important to note our increment is aligned with uMngeni-uThukela Water's bulk tariff hike. We are unlike some of neighbours who have opted to add input costs.
'Households valued at R130,000 or less will be exempt from sewer charges. These charges will be capped to the household value of R5m.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
4 hours ago
- IOL News
Court ruling on EFT payments: Car buyer's responsibility in cybercrime cases
In a case involving cybercrime, the Supreme Court of Appeal ruled that it is the duty of a buyer to ensure that the money is paid into the seller's correct bank account. Image: EPA Cybercrime has emerged as a focal point in a recent legal dispute before the Supreme Court of Appeal, which ruled that payment through electronic funds transfer (EFT) is only deemed complete once the funds are received by the correct account holder. This judgment followed legal proceedings between two car sale companies – with the one who bought two bakkies from the other only to discover after delivery of the vehicles that cybercriminals had intercepted the electronic payment made for the vehicles. None of the parties were prepared to take the financial loss, and the seller initially turned to the regional court in Louis Trichardt to get its R290,000 back – the price at which it sold the two bakkies. The lower court earlier ruled that Hyundai Louis Trichardt had to pay Northcliff Nissan the R290, 000 for the vehicles. The magistrate reasoned that the two car dealerships had a contract in place and, cybercrime or not, Northcliff Nissan was due payment for the two bakkies. Aggrieved with this judgment, Hyundai successfully turned to the Limpopo High Court, sitting in Thohoyandou, to appeal the lower court's verdict. But Northcliff Nissan took the matter on appeal to the SCA. The risk of erroneous payment due to the cybercrime was that of the payer in this instance, the SCA found. 'A debtor bears the risk of misdirected EFT payments and must ensure that the payment is made to the correct bank account,' it said. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ The court added that the onus of proof in contract disputes over payment lies with the payer (debtor). 'Cybercrime risks do not automatically shift liability to the payee, and the courts will not impose an overarching legal duty on creditors to protect debtors from cyber fraud,' the court said. The court was told that in October 2018, Hyundai purchased two Nissan bakkies from Northcliff Nissan for the sum of R145,000,00 each. Northcliff Nissan emailed the invoices for both vehicles to the buyer. The invoices provided details of the nominated bank account for payment of the purchase price for the bakkies. On the same day, Hyundai paid for one bakkie and emailed proof of payment to Northcliff Nissan, after which the bakkie was then delivered. A few days later, Hyundai made another payment and took delivery of the second bakkie. At that stage, no one realised that cybercriminals were at work. Approximately a week later, Northcliff Nissan told Hyundai that payment of the purchase price for the bakkies had not been reflected in its bank account. It then became clear to the parties that the emails had been intercepted and the bank account details on the invoices were altered by a cyber fraudster. The parties realised that they were victims of business email compromise (BEC), a cybercrime that has become popular in this technological age of electronic communication and payment. Cape Argus
TimesLIVE
11 hours ago
- TimesLIVE
SANDF meets with Sandu over unpaid allowances for DRC deployment
The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has held an urgent meeting with the South African National Defence Union (Sandu) after the union's public outcry over unpaid allowances for troops deployed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The SANDF said the meeting came after the union issued a statement and circulated a video on its social media platforms regarding outstanding allowances related to the SAMIDRC deployment under Operation Thiba, part of the Sadc Mission in the DRC. SundayTimes reported that soldiers have turned their anger on their own top brass over a pay dispute, saying they are owed at least R600,000 each. One of the aggrieved soldiers told the Sunday Times he and his fellow troops should have been paid R100,000 a month during their 15-month deployment as part of a Southern African Development Community force in the eastern DRC, but had received only R58,000. The SANDF expressed concern that Sandu had released the statement without first following the established process of direct engagement with it.. 'This occurred while the SANDF was still in the process of demobilising the deployed members and addressing payment-related and other administrative matters internally,' said SANDF spokesperson Rear-Admiral Prince Tshabalala. Tshabalala said the meeting focused on clarifying the status of outstanding allowances and emphasising the importance of effective and respectful communication between the SANDF and recognised unions, in line with the Bargaining Council framework. 'During the meeting, Sandu was cautioned that issuing public statements on unresolved internal matters without prior consultation may lead to misinformation and miscommunication, potentially undermining the morale of troops and affecting the command and control structures of the SANDF,' he said. However, despite these concerns, the meeting was conducted in a cordial and constructive spirit, he said. Tshabalala said both parties committed to continued engagement to resolve the outstanding issues. He added that a follow-up meeting would be scheduled.
The South African
15 hours ago
- The South African
New North Korean resort aims for 20,000 visitors
North Korea has officially opened the sprawling Wonsan-Kalma beach resort on its eastern coast, a project long championed by leader Kim Jong Un. The resort, capable of hosting up to 20,000 visitors, features high-rise hotels, water parks, restaurants, and shopping centres along a four-kilometre stretch of beach. The grand opening took place on 24 June 2025, with Kim Jong Un personally cutting the ribbon. He was accompanied by his wife Ri Sol Ju and their daughter Kim Ju Ae, who is widely seen as his likely successor, according to CNN. Kim expressed 'great satisfaction' after the resort. He described it as 'one of the greatest successes this year' and a 'proud first step' towards developing North Korea's tourism industry. This signalled Pyongyang's growing ties with Moscow amid ongoing Western sanctions. The resort is set to open to domestic tourists from 1 July 2025. However, details about eligibility, transportation, and when international tourists might be allowed remain unclear. Currently, only Russian tourists have limited access to certain parts of North Korea. Russian travel agencies are already promoting tour packages to the Wonsan-Kalma zone, with prices around R30,000. This suggests that Russians may be the first foreign visitors to enjoy the resort, reflecting the close relationship between North Korea and Russia. Experts believe the initial visitors will likely be North Korea's domestic elite, including party officials and high-ranking figures. This is due to the country's tightly controlled society and restricted domestic travel. Dr Edward Howell, a North Korea specialist at the University of Oxford, notes that Western tourists are unlikely to visit due to strict social controls and ideological restrictions within the country. Lim Eul-chul, a professor of North Korean Studies, sees the resort as part of Kim's broader strategy to seek economic breakthroughs through tourism. This is despite the country's ongoing hardships and international isolation. The resort's opening raises questions about its economic viability and who will visit. North Korea remains one of the world's poorest nations, with most resources devoted to military spending. Tourism is one of the few sectors that can generate foreign currency legally, especially under UN sanctions. However, the country's history with international tourism is fraught; the once-popular Mount Kumgang tours for South Koreans ended abruptly in 2008. This was after a fatal shooting incident, and cross-border tourism remains suspended. The Wonsan-Kalma resort is a curious symbol of contrast: a lavish, state-controlled tourist zone in a country where many face hunger and hardship. It reflects North Korea's attempts to project an image of development and normalcy despite its isolation. As Dr Howell puts it, 'Whether this resort will yield the economic benefits that Kim Jong Un desperately seeks in the long term is uncertain. Wonsan-Kalma is hardly a tourist hotspot to begin with'. Elliott Davies, director of Uri Tours, adds, 'North Korea has a niche appeal for those interested in offbeat travel experiences. It's fascinating to see a beach resort shaped by North Korea's unique cultural backdrop'. The Wonsan-Kalma beach resort is a grand showcase of North Korea's ambitions to boost tourism and earn foreign currency. Privileged domestic guests and Russian tourists will initially make up its visitor base. The prospect of Western or South African tourists visiting remains remote, given the country's political climate and travel restrictions. 'The opening of a major beach resort like Wonsan-Kalma helps to reinforce the state media narrative of Kim's people-first policy. It balances his focus on national defence,' said Rachel Minyoung Lee, a fellow at the Stimson Center. 'The ceremony of the Wonsan-Kalma resort reflects Kim Jong Un's vision of 'socialist civilisation'. It is part of his strategic effort to seek economic breakthroughs through tourism,' noted Lim Eul-chul. This development offers a rare glimpse into the secretive nation's attempts to engage with the outside world, albeit under strict control and limited access. For South Africans and others, it remains to be seen whether this ambitious project will become a genuine tourism destination or remain a symbol of Pyongyang's tightly managed image. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
