By Lebone Rodah Mosima
KwaZulu-Natal Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) MEC Thulasizwe Buthelezi has lashed out at uMkhanyakude District Municipality’s proposed R14.6 million financing deal to acquire five specialised water tankers.
Buthelezi said on Wednesday that the deal was “reckless” and showed “an astonishing disregard fiscal prudence” at a municipality already facing financial pressures.
The “financially unsound decision” was detailed in a public notice issued in terms of Section 46(3) of the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA), which deals with the process municipalities must follow before taking on long-term debt, said Cogta.
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“The notice outlines the municipality’s intention to enter into a 36-month instalment sale agreement,” Buthelezi said.
“The total cost is R14,619,714.00 for five specialised water tankers. That is approximately R2.92 million per vehicle.”
Buthelezi said the district was already struggling with financial mismanagement and poor audit outcomes.
“Just this week, KZN Cogta dispatched five water tankers free of charge to uMkhanyakude,” he said.
“We covered Jozini, Big 5 Hlabisa, Umhlabuyalingana, and Mtubatuba. We did this precisely to alleviate the severe water crisis in the district without adding a single cent of debt to the community.” This was in addition to the municipality already owning its own tankers, according to Cogta.
Buthelezi said Cogta would cover the day-to-day operating costs of the five tankers, including diesel and drivers.
“This issue for equipment could be resolved through proper intergovernmental coordination.”
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uMkhanyakude continues to face a severe water-service crisis, with KZN Cogta HOD Scelo Duma saying at the provincial water summit in June that about 41% of residents lacked access to piped water, while the district’s non-revenue water stood at about 97% in 2023/24.
The district remains under a national Section 63 water-services intervention.
The department said earlier this month it was fast-tracking projects including the Nondabuya Water Scheme in Jozini, which is expected to benefit more than 1,800 households.
In his statement on Wednesday, Buthelezi called on uMkhanyakude Mayor Siphile Mdaka and the municipality’s executive committee to cancel the proposed transaction with “immediate effect”.
The department said it would continue monitoring the situation and exercise its constitutional oversight powers to protect public resources and the interests of uMkhanyakude residents.
It said it would “invoke applicable legislation to intervene should there be a need for such”.
uMkhanyakude District Municipality did not respond to requests for comment.
