Staff Reporter
The Free State Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) has paid just over R20 million to Sedibeng Water after the water board turned off the taps to Matjhabeng Local Municipality four days ago over a growing water bill.
In a statement, provincial CoGTA spokesperson Zolile Lobe said the money was paid to the municipality on Thursday to settle the arrears with the water board.
Matjhabeng chipped in with a further R10 million to convince Sedibeng to resume supplies following protracted negotiations.
“The provincial government has . . . paid an amount of R20.2 million to Matjhabeng Municipality, that will (go) towards settlement of their outstanding debt with Sedibeng,” said Lobe in the statement.
The municipality owes Sedibeng about R2.5 billion for bulk water supplies, forcing it to cut supplies on Monday.
The water cuts left most residents in a very difficult position, forcing CoGTA to intervene as the situation posed a serious health hazard given that the country is in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic in which people are encouraged to wash hands regularly and maintain good hygienic standards.
“To compound the problem, the country is currently experiencing a heatwave that increases the need to have water, as a form to combat dehydration,” said Lobe.
Supplies have since resumed and different parts of the gold-rich municipality are expected to start receiving water soon.
This follows an agreement on a payment plan by the two parties.
Matjhabeng municipality spokesperson Kgojane Matutle said in a separate statement the payment should help normalise the situation as the water board can now buy all its supplies and fund its operations.
“The payment will allow Sedibeng Water to buy critical resources including cleaning water chemicals to purify water before supplying the municipality,” he said.
“It is also important to note that the drought currently being experienced has affected the dam levels and thus Sedibeng Water needs money to maintain the water quality.”
The municipality also encouraged residents to pay for services to ensure uninterrupted supply of water and other essential services provided by the municipality.
The municipality has committed to ring-fence all the money collected from water billing and Operation Patala to service the Sedibeng debt.