Kouga municipality owes massive water bill to Nelson Mandela Bay metro
The only two DA-headed municipalities in the Eastern Cape are in a stand-off over a R46m water bill, which the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality believes is owed by the Kouga Local Municipality. The metro‚ headed by DA mayor Athol Trollip‚ says it has been undercharging the neighbouring municipality for four years and is now knocking on Kouga’s door to pay. The metro supplies water to Kouga‚ which includes Jeffreys Bay‚ Humansdorp and Hankey. Kouga mayor Elza van Lingen took a swipe at the metro‚ questioning why it had taken so many years to realise that it had been undercharging. She said there was absolutely no way that the small municipality could afford the R46m arrears bill. "This will have a huge impact on our cash flow and our ability to deliver services‚" Van Lingen said. "I will be taking the matter up with the metro to find out exactly how the under billing occurred‚ why it took so long to realise there was a problem and what solution can be found to address it....
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