Billions in debt but residents pay more for failing services

By Nontokozo Gemani

• Residents say they wake up to dry taps, low water pressure and electricity that does not last the month despite paying higher municipal tariffs.

• Ekurhuleni owes more than R7-billion, including billions to Eskom and Rand Water, raising fresh concerns about the future of basic services.

When Gugu Tshabalala wakes up before sunrise to get ready for work, she never knows if water will come out of the tap.

The Shoprite worker from Langaville Extension Three says dry taps and low water pressure have become part of everyday life.

Some mornings there is only a trickle.

Other days there is no water at all.

Residents in Langaville Extensions Four and Seven told Scrolla.Africa they have also been battling water outages and low water pressure for more than a month.

“It has been very difficult because I leave for work early and there is often no water to boil for my bath,” said Tshabalala.

When she gets home after work, the problem often continues.

To cope, she fills her bathtub with water whenever the taps are running so she has enough to use later.

“There was no warning. No one tells us what is happening,” she said.

Water is not the family’s only struggle.

Tshabalala spends nearly R2,000 every month on prepaid electricity.

Even that is not enough to last until payday.

“I do not even have a geyser. If I had one, I would be paying much more,” she said.

Her frustration comes just weeks after the City of Ekurhuleni increased municipal tariffs.

From 1 July, electricity tariffs increased by an average of 9.01%, while water tariffs went up by 11% as part of the city’s R70.9-billion budget.

Residents are now paying more while many say services are getting worse.

The city’s financial problems are adding to those fears.

According to Gauteng Finance MEC Nkululeko Dunga, Ekurhuleni owes creditors more than R7-billion.

That includes R5.758-billion owed to Eskom and R555-million owed to Rand Water.

The city has only about R2-billion available in cash, far less than what it owes.

Residents worry that the growing debt could affect essential services if the municipality cannot keep up with its payments.

Democratic Alliance mayoral candidate Khathutshelo Rasilingwane recently warned that Ekurhuleni’s service delivery is “on the brink of collapse”.

She said the city’s failure to pay Eskom and Rand Water on time could eventually lead to electricity supply cuts or water restrictions.

Earlier this year, Eskom issued a formal notice warning that electricity supply could be reduced or interrupted because of Ekurhuleni’s unpaid debt before the two sides later reached a payment agreement.

Scrolla.Africa asked the City of Ekurhuleni what residents should expect, how it plans to deal with its growing debt and what steps are being taken to protect water and electricity services.

The city had not responded by the time of publication.

For Tshabalala, however, the debate about billions of rand in debt means very little.

She simply wants to wake up knowing there will be water in the tap and enough electricity to get her family through the month.

Pictured above: Langaville residents say they are paying more for water and electricity while battling dry taps and rising household costs as Ekurhuleni’s debt continues to grow.

Image source: Supplied.