Get a grip on defaulters

IN A water-scarce country such as ours, it is deeply disturbing that 30 municipalities have not been paying for services and are collectively indebted to the Department of Water and Sanitation to the tune of R10.7 billion.

That money could have been used to upgrade infrastructure or set up water-harvesting reservoirs that could come in handy during dry seasons.

South Africa experienced a devastating drought recently, with residents across the country subjected to water restrictions and many people lambasting the department for failing to plan properly.

Yes, it should plan properly and come up with ways of harvesting all the rainwater flowing down our drainage systems.

But municipalities should also play their part in ensuring that debts are paid on time. They should find ways of getting defaulters to cough up.

As residents within these municipalities, we ought to also pay our dues as it is this failure that has left the municipalities in the red, forcing the department to spend even more money dragging them to court to force them to pay.

The unfortunate thing is that law-abiding citizens who pay their dues are going to be affected by the cuts through no fault of their own. We are for defaulters being cut off – except for the indigent who have no means of paying.

But cutting off entire municipalities is unfair to those who settle their bills monthly. Officials in affected municipalities need to act – and soon.

They need to get their ducks in a row and hold those responsible accountable.

Water and Sanitation Minister Nomvula Mokonyane cited poor billing systems and financial mismanagement by councils as some of the things contributing to rocketing water bills.

Those responsible should be held accountable. They cannot continue to draw fat salaries while they fail to ensure the services people pay for are delivered.

But overall it is Mokonyane who is responsible. She allowed the situation under her watch to get out of control, to the extent that a whopping R10.7bn is owing. How was this allowed to happen?

Now she wants to punish all and sundry, even the innocent. Now really.