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The DA in Msunduzi is horrified by the unilateral decision taken by the municipality to change the billing cycle to twice per month. The complete disregard for the residents of Msunduzi Municipality is an indictment on the failed ANC-led municipality.

As The DA, we will be marching to the Pietermaritzburg City Hall on 5 May 2023, to hand over a memorandum to both Msunduzi Mayor, Mzimkhulu Thebolla, and the KwaZulu Natal MEC for the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), demanding that the residents of Msunduzi are heard and that this proposed twice-monthly billing cycle follow proper process and consultation before any changes are implemented.

Last week Thursday, the proposed adjustment to the twice-monthly billing cycle, was presented to the Finance Portfolio Committee. The DA proposed that any changes to the billing cycle be workshopped with councillors for input and concerns. It was also emphatically stated that proper consultation and communication on any proposed changes would need to be undertaken with all communities and residents in the municipality and thereafter brought to full council before adoption.
The failure to follow any consultative process has caused widespread confusion and distress amongst residents of Msunduzi.

It is unfathomable that despite the municipality being under administration, and as such having been allocated two CoGTA Ministerial Representatives to oversee the business of the municipality, as well as the allocation of a finance expert, the municipality is still implementing ill-informed decisions that are causing chaos and untold hardship to the residents of the city. The glaring questions remain: Why has the allocated finance expert not been present on finance portfolio committees to exercise their advisory role? Where are the CoGTA ministerial representatives and what are they doing to assist in stabilising the city?

It is wholly unacceptable to expect residents to pay for services twice a month as a means to address the municipality's cash-flow crisis. The burden of maladministration and poor financial management by the municipality is now being passed onto residents who are already suffering due to the increasingly high cost of living. Had the municipality undertaken attempts to grow its rate base to above 40%, to improve its cash flow, it would not need to further burden existing rate-payers, and it would not be in this predicament. To add insult to injury, residents are now also expected to pay proposed tariff increases, well above inflation, twice a month on services that the municipality itself is struggling to provide.

As the DA, we are working with our DA KZN Provincial Spokesperson for CoGTA, Martin Meyer, who will be urgently engaging with the CoGTA MEC and officials to intervene. We will also be marching on the Pietermaritzburg City Hall requesting that this decision for twice-monthly billing be halted until proper process, consultation and communication are pursued. We call on the residents of Msunduzi to stand with us as we march for our city.

The residents of Msunduzi Municipality have had enough. Residents cannot be expected to pay billing twice a month, with proposed tariff increases, whilst receiving fewer services. As the DA, we will continue to do everything in our power to stand with our communities against this failed and uncaring ANC-led municipality.

Issued by Hannah Winkler, MP - DA Midlands Constituency Head