07 Mar 2023

Water Utilities Corporation (WUC) had to undertake water supply disconnection in order to address its debt book which currently stands at P1.123 billion, Minister of Lands and Water Affairs, Dr Kefentse Mzwinila, has said.

Answering a parliamentary question on Monday, Dr Mzwinila said such debt comprised over P723 million and over P131 million owed by domestic customers and businesses respectively.

He said water supply service to a total of 136 293 domestic and business customers was discontinued from February last year to date.

The minister told Members of Parliament that no disconnections were done during the State of Emergency and after it ended in September 2021.

“Still no disconnections were done as customers were given a grace period of up to end of December 2021 to have paid their outstanding bills,” he said, adding the decision to disconnect was effected in January last year.

He added that all customers who had paid their bills were reconnected, adding however that 74 775 were not reconnected because they did not respond or pay up following disconnection. He said that 61 518 had since been reconnected, 50 327 had cleared their balances while 11 191 had made part payments and signed payment plans.

The minister said relevant authorities were engaged when dealing with needy customers.
Parliament also heard that most of customers with high balances on their accounts were cumulative- bills that had accrued over time without payment.

“Any debt that remains unpaid, the corporation may undertake stringent measures such as engaging debt collectors, listings and denial of additional water service connections for such customers,” the minister said.

Further, Dr Mzwinila indicated that measures in place to assist customers whose bills were exorbitantly high due to leakages was a rebate on the bill if it had been determined that they were not negligent.

“In the case of customers with leaked water, the corporation holds them accountable as prudence is expected from them. Customers are sensitised on leakages and the need to exercise prudence on management of the same through radio, print media and other forms of communication,” he said.

That notwithstanding, he said the corporation assessed cases of leaked water on merit and in cases where the leak remained undetected and without visible indication, investigations were undertaken to determine the customer’s prudence.

Member of Parliament for Bobonong, Mr Taolo Lucas had requested the minister to update Parliament on the number of household water disconnections since the beginning of 2022 as well as the number of reconnections and failures to reconnect.

Mr Lucas also wanted to know if there were measures in place to assist those whose bills were high due to leakages. ENDS