The DA in the eThekwini Municipality was concerned about irregular expenditure, uncollected debt, and non-revenue water, highlighted in a Finance Committee report.
The eThekwini Municipality’s culmination of unauthorised, irregular, fruitless, and wasteful (UIFW) expenditure incurred for the quarter ended March 31, 2025, amounted to R1.4 billion.
According to the municipality’s Finance Committee debt collection report for the month ended April 2026, the total debt was R44 billion for February, R44.5 billion for March, and R45.4 billion for April.
The committee reported on Wednesday that water accounts for 42% of the total debt, while property rates (23%) and electricity (14%) make up the rest. In total, R40.3 billion relates to rates and services debt, while R5 billion is for all other debtors, including sundries and interest charges.
Household debt makes up the bulk of the debt at R34 billion, while government departments and parastatals account for R1.8 billion. The Revenue Management Directorate outlined its debt collection and recovery plans.
