The FF Plus demanded in an urgent letter to the Mayor of the Mbombela Local Municipality, Ms Sibongile Makushe, that water meter audits should be prioritised.
Empty promises to conduct these crucial audits have been made since 2021.
On 31 May 2021, the Mbombela council adopted a motion regarding the necessity of reading water meters throughout the Municipality (Mbombela/Nelspruit, Barberton, Hazyview, Kaapschehoop, Skukuza, White River).
In March 2022, the FF Plus requested that water audits be conducted to enable Mbombela to evaluate its water consumption and losses. During an open council meeting, the Mayor indicated that audits will be conducted and feedback will be provided to the council, on request, in the form of reports.
Not a single report on the promised audits has been tabled thus far. No feedback has been provided to the written questions sent to the Mayor either.
Meanwhile, Mbombela residents who receive monthly water bills without water meter readings are threatened with having their water supply cut if they do not pay the bills.
Some taxpayers’ water meters are buried underground while others are installed upside down, making it impossible to take readings.
The failure to implement this council decision is possibly resulting in wasteful expenditure, while it is something that can easily be rectified. Ms
Ms Makushe did indicate during a recent council meeting that the financial portfolio was instrumental in preventing the service provider from continuing with the audit, seeing as there were reportedly irregularities during the appointment of the contractor.
The FF Plus has now demanded in a letter to the Mayor, with an ultimatum of seven days, that feedback must be provided on the burning issue and that it must be prioritised.
The FF Plus will keep fighting until the issue is resolved.
Mbombela residents deserve better than the ANC.
