Amathole district municipality (ADM) ratepayers can breathe a sigh of relief as the municipal council has resolved not to increase water tariffs.
The Daily Dispatch learned yesterday that the ADM council resolved not to increase water, sanitation and sundry service tariffs for the current financial year.
An SMS seen by the newspaper stated: “Amathole has resolved not to increase its water, sanitation and sundry services tariffs for 2016/17 financial year.
“All these tariffs are available for viewing from the ADM website and all our offices.”
The district has eight local municipalities – Amahlathi (Cathcart, Stutterheim and Kei Road), Great Kei (Komga, Kei Mouth, Haga-Haga, Morgan’s Bay and Chintsa), Mbhashe (Dutywa, Willowvale, Elliotdale), Mnquma (Butterworth, Ngqamakwe, Centane), Ngqushwa (Peddie, Hamburg), Nkonkobe (Seymour, Fort Beaufort, Alice, Middledrift) and Nxuba (Bedford, Adelaide).
ADM spokesman Siyabulela Makunga confirmed that tariffs would not be increased in this financial year.
“Council considered the current economic, financial climate and the customer base of the municipality and thus decided that tariffs would not be increased in the new financial year,” Makunga said.
“The ADM is attempting to balance the sustainability of the municipality and the affordability for consumers.”
Ratepayers’ associations had mixed reactions about the developments.
Chintsa East Ratepayers’ Association chairman Rick Tudhope said ADM had already tripled its annual water tariffs about four years ago and ratepayers protested against it.
“Their tariffs have already been increased to such an extent that we could see clearly that the ADM water tariffs were the most expensive in the country,” Tudhope said.
He said there was no reason why ADM should have the highest water tariffs in the country compared with Gauteng, which gets water from Lesotho.
Tudhope said by charging higher tariffs in the past, ADM was passing its financial burden caused by its “tremendous mismanagement” on to consumers.
“They take advantage passing their problems to the shoulders of ratepayers.”
A comparative study on water production costs was needed to be conducted to benchmark ADM’s water tariffs.
Kayser’s Beach Ratepayers’ Association chairman Dave Stewart said it was good there were no increases this financial year and the association welcomed the announcement.
The municipality, which is one of the districts affected by the drought, has instituted “water- shedding” cuts in Mbhashe and Mnquma municipality. — msindisif@dispatch.co.za
No ADM service tariff hikes
The Daily Dispatch learned yesterday that the ADM council resolved not to increase water, sanitation and sundry service tariffs for the current financial year.
An SMS seen by the newspaper stated: “Amathole has resolved not to increase its water, sanitation and sundry services tariffs for 2016/17 financial year.
“All these tariffs are available for viewing from the ADM website and all our offices.”
The district has eight local municipalities – Amahlathi (Cathcart, Stutterheim and Kei Road), Great Kei (Komga, Kei Mouth, Haga-Haga, Morgan’s Bay and Chintsa), Mbhashe (Dutywa, Willowvale, Elliotdale), Mnquma (Butterworth, Ngqamakwe, Centane), Ngqushwa (Peddie, Hamburg), Nkonkobe (Seymour, Fort Beaufort, Alice, Middledrift) and Nxuba (Bedford, Adelaide).
ADM spokesman Siyabulela Makunga confirmed that tariffs would not be increased in this financial year.
“Council considered the current economic, financial climate and the customer base of the municipality and thus decided that tariffs would not be increased in the new financial year,” Makunga said.
“The ADM is attempting to balance the sustainability of the municipality and the affordability for consumers.”
Ratepayers’ associations had mixed reactions about the developments.
Chintsa East Ratepayers’ Association chairman Rick Tudhope said ADM had already tripled its annual water tariffs about four years ago and ratepayers protested against it.
“Their tariffs have already been increased to such an extent that we could see clearly that the ADM water tariffs were the most expensive in the country,” Tudhope said.
He said there was no reason why ADM should have the highest water tariffs in the country compared with Gauteng, which gets water from Lesotho.
Tudhope said by charging higher tariffs in the past, ADM was passing its financial burden caused by its “tremendous mismanagement” on to consumers.
“They take advantage passing their problems to the shoulders of ratepayers.”
A comparative study on water production costs was needed to be conducted to benchmark ADM’s water tariffs.
Kayser’s Beach Ratepayers’ Association chairman Dave Stewart said it was good there were no increases this financial year and the association welcomed the announcement.
The municipality, which is one of the districts affected by the drought, has instituted “water- shedding” cuts in Mbhashe and Mnquma municipality. — msindisif@dispatch.co.za
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