Threats of water service disruptions: city denies plumbers' payment crisis amid growing protests

CONTRACTED plumbers in eThekwini have launched protests over allegedly unpaid invoices dating back to October 2023, threatening water service disruptions across the municipality.

While officials claim 98% of creditors have been paid on time, plumbers describe facing 'delay tactics' that are crippling their businesses.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) warns this payment crisis represents a 'systemic betrayal' of communities already struggling with unreliable infrastructure

The strike action saw scores of plumbers protest and demand for their payments at the eThekwini Municipality’s Florence Mkhize Building on Monday. 

A plumbing company owner from Chatsworth, who had been contracted to the municipality for about seven years, said the feedback from the city was “delay tactics”.

He said he had not been paid since October 2025, and that his business was suffering due to the non-payment. He was also part of the strike action.

“Our paperwork was in order and it was handed in by October. When the City failed to make payment and we made enquiries as to why there were no payments, we were told that the paperwork we submitted to them was still sitting in the initial office and was not sent to the department which handles capturing. 

“Their explanation that plumbers have not been paid due to outstanding documentation, compliance issues or outstanding queries is just   a delay tactic because they do not have their finances in order.

“We need this issue to be resolved before the strike escalates,” he said.

DA eThekwini exco member councillor Yogis Govender, said they noted that plumbers and water tanker operators had not been paid. 

“The eThekwini Water and Sanitation’s (EWS) annual budgetary failure affecting contractors has escalated from gross incompetence to a predictable, systemic betrayal of public trust. Year after year, the department follows the same catastrophic script of squandering its allocation, slashing its workforce in half, and then feigning surprise when the city’s infrastructure disintegrates.

“An oversight visit by DA Councillors revealed that water depots across the city are operating at less than 50% capacity. At the same time, plumbers and water tanker operators have allegedly not been paid since October last year. 

“This crisis, which led contractors to briefly down tools last week due to non-payment, is the inevitable result of a department that functions as a black hole for taxpayer funds. The reality on the ground is that EWS is unable to effectively and speedily deal with leaks and bursts, and the backlog is currently quite substantial,” she added.

Govender said the reality on the ground is that “the city was bleeding dry”.

She said residents were being forced into a third-world existence.

“Residents are enduring weeks of unattended pipe bursts and dry taps while non-revenue water levels skyrocket due to sheer administrative paralysis,” she said.

In a statement to the POST on Tuesday, the city’s marketing and communications directorate said they rejected claims that the municipality was not paying service providers.

“eThekwini Municipality notes recent unfounded allegations in the media suggesting that the City is not paying its service providers. We categorically reject these claims. The City continues to pay all service providers where claims are legitimate and fully substantiated.

“Our commitment to timely payments remains unwavering. In the 2024/2025 financial year, 98% of all creditors were paid within 30 days, in line with legal requirements. The remaining 2% of cases involved incomplete documentation or compliance queries, which must be resolved before payment can be processed.

“Delays caused by missing documentation or compliance issues are exceptions, and they are necessary to ensure value for money and adherence to audit requirements.

“Service providers experiencing such challenges are encouraged to contact the relevant line department responsible for their work and payment. Both parties must work together to provide complete documentation and address any outstanding queries promptly,” said the city in the statement.

 “It is important to note that, in terms of audit standards, the municipality must verify the receipt of goods and services before finalising payment to prevent financial loss. Service providers are responsible for submitting evidence to substantiate their claims.

“To assist any affected service providers, we request that they submit a full statement of account, along with invoices and proof of work completed, so that any outstanding invoices can be reviewed and confirmed,” the statement read.

 Where documentation was completed and compliance requirements were met, the city said all service providers were paid within 30 days.

“In exceptional cases, we ask for patience and understanding while we obtain the necessary evidence before committing expenditure. The council remains committed to good governance, regulatory compliance, and achieving a clean audit,” read the statement.

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