The warning comes days after the Govan Mbeki municipality got into trouble with residents over power cuts due to Eskom debt and after Premier David Mabuza summoned mayors of municipalities owing Eskom.
The Mbombela local municipality has sent out a warning to residents who do not pay their municipal services.
This message applies to those bridge their water and electricity connections to dodge paying, according to reports.
“Their days are numbered,” municipal spokesman Joseph Ngala said.
“There are residents who are not paying municipal bills, but they have water and electricity in their yards which means they have bridged the electricity and water.
“We are not going to be apologetic to those people who are stealing municipal services. Their days are numbered as we are going to disconnect the services so that they can do the right thing. We are going to issue them with fines and they must also pay a re-connection fee for the services,”he said.
This week Premier David Mabuza and mayors of debt-ridden municipalities met to discuss solutions to the crisis.
SEE ALSO: Mabuza summons mayors of owing municipalities
In Mbalenhle this week, residents took to the streets to protest over power cuts after Eskom announced it would do so due to the municipality’s failure to pay the utility.
Ngala said even though the municipality has introduced the programs meeting residents half way however izinyoka continued to persisted in the homes.
“We understand that some of them are unemployed, but they don’t bother to come forward and present their case to the municipality so that we can be able to find other options to tackle the matter,” Ngala said.
“It’s very disturbing to find out that some of the people who are not paying their bills are working,” he said.
ALSO RELATED: Lindiwe Ntshalintshali begs residents to please pay their electricity
(edited by MLM)
Send tips to editor@013.co.za
