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The Citizen
16-07-2025
- The Citizen
Water crisis deepens as alleged saboteurs target Ndwedwe water project [Watch]
Hope for clean water in Ndwedwe has been dealt a severe blow after key infrastructure was torched in a suspected act of sabotage. The R68-million Umshwathi Bulk Water Scheme, originally scheduled for completion in September, suffered a serious setback after 29 bulk water pipes were allegedly set alight last Friday at the Mthombeni Bus Stop site in Ward 8. This left more than 20 homes without electricity, as the electrical infrastructure was also damaged in the area. The infrastructure project intends to supply clean water to Ndwedwe Wards 2, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 These are rural areas with little to no infrastructure. Residents are at the mercy of unreliable water tankers, while others fetch water from rivers and boreholes. Through this project, 25 000 people from about 3 000 households have been promised piped water connections to their homes. iLembe district mayor Thobani Shandu condemned the incident, calling it 'an attack on the dignity and rights of Ndwedwe residents.' 'This was not just vandalism, it was a direct attack on people who have waited years for basic services. We will not be intimidated or derailed. Our commitment to delivering this vital service remains firm,' said Shandu. An initial site inspection indicated the fire was unlikely to have started naturally. While the results of a formal forensic investigation are pending, authorities suspect deliberate sabotage. Authorities noted that there had been no previous disputes or community opposition to the project. A criminal case has been opened at Nsuze Police Station and investigations are underway. The destruction of the pipes means delays are now inevitable, as materials will need to be reordered and project timelines adjusted. The full cost of the damage is yet to be assessed. Mayor Shandu appealed to the public for information. 'We urge anyone with knowledge of the perpetrators to come forward. This act has hurt the entire community.' At the time of publication, no arrests had been made. Stay in the loop with The North Coast Courier on Facebook, X, Instagram & YouTube for the latest news. Mobile users can join our WhatsApp Broadcast Service here or if you're on desktop, scan the QR code below. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
IOL News
28-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Mayor defends water tariff increase while providing free water to vulnerable families
Left: Ilembe District Municipal Manager Sazi Mbhele, Mayor Thobani Shandu, and Director of Technical Services Ncingisa Mbole at the media briefing on Wednesday to clarify budget decisions. Image: Supplied As part of a response to the Democratic Alliance's demands for the 0% water tariff increase, the water-stricken Ilembe District Municipality has decided to supply 10,000 litres to poor households every month. In a R1.6 billion budget tabled by the district mayor, Thobani Shandu, on Tuesday, the municipality approved a revised 13% increase from 13.5%, which was initially proposed, dismissing the DA's demand as highly unreasonable. The mayor said it was not feasible not to increase the water tariff while Umngeni-Uthukela Water, which sells water to municipalities, has raised tariffs by 13%. Shandu said the municipality believes that more than 30% of the approximately 700,000 people living in the district will receive free water under the 10,000 litres cushion. The mayor said there would be a drive to encourage the poor households to register under indigent programmes so that their financial status would be assessed and be placed under the programme. 'It was impossible for us not to increase water tariffs while the water utility where we buy water from has increased. We were reasonable enough to at least increase our tariffs by the same amount. 'The DA must understand that we are a rural municipality with no less revenue collection, so we are like cities like eThekwini, which collect more residential and business rates, and those cities can easily reduce water tariffs and take money from other sources to cover water costs,' said Shandu. Out of this budget, the municipality set aside R357 million for capital projects, leaving the rest for operational costs. The municipality has a surplus of R14,6 million. Shandu said he believes the budget reflects a strong commitment to pro-poor service delivery, infrastructure development, and financial sustainability. Clarifying the qualifying criteria for free water, Shandu said all homes with a value of less than R130,000 of families with a combined monthly income of less than R50,000 will qualify for the free water programme. He added that the charges will also be capped at homes worth R5 million, meaning that even those families living in homes worth more than R5 million will not pay more than 13%. The district covers the three rural local municipalities of Ndwedwe, Mandeni, and Maphumulo as well as the semi-urban Greater KwaDukuza Municipality. In its response, the DA rejected the mayor's explanation, saying the party would force the municipality to reverse the increase through other mechanisms, including legal action. The DA's district constituency head, Sakhile Mngadi, who led the water march earlier, said the municipality's problem was irregular expenditure, which was picked up in the Auditor-General's report. Mngadi said that 15% of the budget went to fruitless and wasteful expenditure, and the municipality shifts its poor financial management to the poor people by burdening them with avoidable tariff increases. [email protected]
TimesLIVE
28-05-2025
- Business
- TimesLIVE
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.'
