eThekwini water, sanitation dispute in the spotlight

The eThekwini Municipality has faced tough questions over its handling of the water and sanitation contracts dispute that’s allegedly left municipal infrastructure being vandalised.

The city’s top leadership appeared before the Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Portfolio Committee sitting, in the Durban City Hall.

The municipality recently changed the recruitment process to absorb its independent plumbers under main contractors following concerns from the Auditor General.

In protest, disgruntled plumbers allegedly sabotaged water infrastructure at depots in the city, disrupting water supply. [WATCH] EThekwini Mayor, Councillor Cyril Xaba, visited Phoenix to assess progress on the R100 million pipe replacement programme, with most of the pipes already installed.

The programme has significantly improved water supply in Wards 48, 102 and 110. pic.twitter.com/CxhVaoavzd — eThekwini Municipality (@eThekwiniM) September 10, 2026 Democratic Alliance (DA) MPL Tim Brauteseth accused the city’s of appointing questionable main contractors and failing to pay subcontractors.

He said the city’s mismanagement of the plumbing contractors created the existing problems with the plumbers. ‘The are now deliberately damaging your infrastructure and the police are doing nothing and you can’t get the plumbers to come and fix it because they will be killed tonight.

So this is all a nice picture out here but out there it’s not nice,” says Brauteseth.

City Manager Musa Mbhele condemned acts of sabotage against municipal infrastructure and said they are pursuing legal action.

He refuted claims that the municipality owes money to the contractors.

“Not a single time was the issue of non payment of contractors was ever raised.

It is now only being raised when they are burning tyres and destroying municipal infrastructure.

Now, there is nowhere in the world we must run a civilised government with people wanting to compete with thee interest of the public in that way.

I mean if it was raised we would have championed it a long time ago.

But our records are reflecting that they were paid.