uMzinyathi District municipality (Endumeni, Nquthu, uMsinga, Umvoti) calls for public comment on proposed tariff increases, the draft budget and IDP
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- Proposed increases are available in the summary below
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In this district, the uMzinyathi District Municipality serves as the Water Services Authority (WSA), meaning it sets the water and sanitation rates for all four local municipalities: Endumeni, Nquthu, Msinga, and Umvoti.
THE INCREASES ARE AS FOLLOWS
Staff salaries 4.75%
| Electricity (Domestic) ⚡ | Property Rates 🏠 | Refuse 🗑️ | Water & San (WSA: District) 💧 | |
| Endumeni (Dundee) | 13.7% 🚩 | 3.4% | 2.13% | ~5.5% – 7.0% |
| Umvoti (Greytown) | 9.01% | 3.7% | 3.7% | ~5.5% – 7.0% |
| Nquthu | 9.01% | ~4.5% | ~4.5% | ~5.5% – 7.0% |
| Msinga | 9.01% | ~4.5% | ~4.5% | ~5.5% – 7.0% |
| Staff Salary Increase | 4.75% | 4.75% | 4.75% | 4.75% |
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- The Endumeni Electricity Shock (13.7%): Endumeni is the district’s “Red Flag” this year. The proposed 13.7% electricity hike is nearly triple the staff salary benchmark of 4.75%. The municipality cites high levels of electricity theft (costing over R58 million recently) and aging infrastructure as the reason for this aggressive markup. 🔌
- Umvoti’s CPI Discipline: Umvoti is showing significant discipline by pegging property rates at 3.7%, which is below the salary benchmark. This suggests they are attempting to cushion residents from the impact of utility costs. 📉
- The District Water Disconnect: As the WSA, the District is proposing water hikes in the 5.5% to 7.0% range. In rural areas like Msinga and Nquthu, where service delivery is often intermittent, paying a hike that exceeds the 4.75% salary growth is a major point for public objection. 🚰
- Revenue Collection Pressure: Municipalities like Nquthu and Msinga are heavily grant-dependent. Their “low” rates (approx. 4.5%) are a tactical choice, as hiking them further could lead to even lower collection rates in communities already struggling with affordability. 💸
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