The Department of Human Settlements,Water and Sanitation says it cannot guarantee the security of water supply to the public, if municipalities continue to default on payments to their water boards.
Deputy Minister, David Mahlobo, told Parliament that payment for water services is non-negotiable.
South Africa is a water-stressed country and the situation is expected to worsen as climate change takes hold.
Mahlobo told Parliament that municipalities need to pay for services they receive.
“People must pay for the services that are rendered. It is going to be very important that we respect that despite the difficulties. Because we know the water situation in the country. We do not have an abundance of water. It is a finite resource and we becoming more stressed, therefore the little resource that the water boards have, they need to share in the main. They will help in the infrastructure training, the development because the infrastructure needs to be developed and also the issue of management.”
