Contractors for eThekwini Municipality’s water and sanitation repairs are on strike. This is due to their claims that they have not been paid for months. The contractors stated that some of their members were last paid in December 2025. The contractors claim that previous payments were only paid after they picketed outside the water and sanitation offices in November.
They say more than 500 contractors are affected by the non-payment. The contractors are responsible for servicing sewerage systems and burst water pipes across Durban. In areas such as KwaMashu, Phoenix and Newlands, some jobs have been left incomplete, with water flowing in the streets. On Wednesday, the contractors stormed the offices of the water and sanitation department, demanding to be paid. This is despite having had several meetings with the department. Contractor Nosipho Mteshana said: “We are residents in these communities and must return to people who ask us about services. I have worked as a contractor under eThekwini for over nine years, and we have never experienced challenges like this. “I understand that the City has introduced a new payment system to fast-track payments, but we have decided to down tools so that we can sit down with officials and find an amicable solution,” he said.
Spokesperson for the contractors, Musa Mdladla, warned: “If the municipality does not pay us, we will have no option but to shut down every depot.”
The municipality has to negotiate with contractors about finding a solution to the non-payments’ situation. This is a dire situation as half the metro and region have open construction sites. The municipality has to negotiate with the contractors about finding a reasonable solution to paying the money that is owed. The situation of free-flowing water in the areas named, can lead to the spread of sewerage and disease across neighbourhoods. Mayor Cyril Xaba and City Manager Musa Mbhele have to address the concerns of all interest groups from the contractors to the residents. The contractors themselves know that as residents in the communities concerned, their families will be affected. However, there is the need to launch an independent investigation into why the contractors have not been paid under the new payments system and resolve the issue. Otherwise, the city will experience the crisis of overflowing water.
The Municipality must find a satisfying solution to this matter, less the open sewerage become a crisis of infestation. An unhealthy situation of disease. It will not be a positive appearance for the metro.
Meanwhile the African National Congress (ANC) has deployed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s supporters in control of eThekwini Municipality and KwaZulu-Natal ahead of the local government elections set to take place on November 4 and the ANC’s elective conference next year.
Two weeks ago, the party removed provincial convener Jeff Radebe and replaced him with Mike Mabuyakhulu and appointed James Nxumalo as the provincial coordinator. Both Mabuyakhulu and Nxumalo are Ramaphosa’s backers, having supported him at the 2017 and 2022 party elective conferences. On Thursday, the party announced another well known Ramaphosa backer, Thabani Nyawose as the convener in the eThekwini region. Nyawose who is currently the eThekwini Municipality Speaker, will be assisted by Thanduxolo Sabelo as a coordinator. Nyawose and Sabelo were in the slate that unsuccessfully challenged the powerful pro-Zuma slate that ensured Zandile Gumede won the chairperson race in 2022.
The dynamics of politics is a business of contamination. This contamination is ruthlessness. The governing party under the direction of Ramaphosa and his retinue have deployed loyalists to keep rebellious factions in check. Ramaphosa through the ruling party is seeking to maintain power to some degree. However, his actions can be perceived as being unilateral and may undermine democracy at the local level. eThekwini region is a key area given its association with Durban metro as a commercial port on the Indian Ocean. KwaZulu-Natal is an important province in relation to South Africa’s political and electoral landscape. At the heart of Ramaphosa’s political manoeuvring is strategizing to keep the Umkhonto We Sizwe (MK) Party or the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) from taking hold in the elections.
The municipality is facing a dire situation due the strikes by the water and sewerage contractors being carried out. As local elections approach a solution has to be found.
Article written by:
Yacoob Cassim
Journalist at Radio Al Ansaar
