The DA in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) has today called for a full investigation into eThekwini’s billing system crisis as residents, in particular low-income households and the elderly, reel under undue financial and emotional strain.
The appeal – made in the form of a motion in the KZN Legislature by DA KZN Spokesperson on Social Development, Shontel de Boer MPL – further calls on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) MEC, Thulasizwe Buthelezi, to initiate an independent and comprehensive review into the accuracy, functionality, and integrity of the billing system.
The DA is deeply concerned by the ongoing crisis surrounding eThekwini Municipality’s billing system. For many years, residents have been billed based on estimated readings rather than verified consumption. This practice has resulted in inflated accounts, widespread disputes and, in many cases, residents being pressurised into signing acknowledgements of debt without any fair opportunity to challenge the accuracy of their bills.
In essence, the system has failed to uphold transparency and accountability and eroded public confidence in the municipality’s ability to manage even the most basic services.
Amid a rising cost of living, chronic and persistent unemployment and social vulnerability, these billing failures have deepened the hardship faced by many communities already struggling to make ends meet. For those dependent on social grants or fixed pensions, the impact has been severe – forcing impossible choices between paying inflated utility bills or affording basic essentials such as food, medicine and transport.
The DA believes that access to transparent, fair, and verifiable billing is a fundamental right and an essential component of accountable governance.
To this end, we have also taken the matter up at COGTA portfolio committee level and have requested a departmental presentation in order for members to scrutinize the system’s performance, identify its structural flaws, and determine the scale of disputes currently before the municipality. Of particular concern is how these disputes are being resolved, and whether affected residents are afforded fair recourse before being burdened with debt.
As a partner within KZN’s Government of Provincial Unity (GPU), the DA will continue to pursue transparency, oversight, and justice for those residents who have been unfairly treated by a system that has failed in both technical reliability and ethical governance. Restoring public trust requires clear accountability, accurate billing, and a commitment to protecting the dignity of eThekwini’s most vulnerable.