Staff Reporter
The Water Community Action Network (CAN) said on Wednesday that it was “alarmed” by a report that municipalities returned R1 billion in unspent Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant funding to National Treasury over the past five years.
According to a report in Business Day, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana confirmed in response to a parliamentary question that municipalities had returned the money.
The grant is meant to develop, refurbish, upgrade and replace ageing bulk water and sanitation infrastructure.
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“South Africans are repeatedly told there is not enough money to fix water and sanitation infrastructure. Yet here we have R1 billion that could not be spent by municipalities while communities are living through a water and sanitation crisis. That is not just poor administration. It is a betrayal,” said WaterCAN Executive Manager, Dr Ferrial Adam.
“This money was meant to reach
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