The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) says it is considering blacklisting individuals, companies and organisations that continue not to honour their debts due to the department.

This proposal was tabled before the Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation last week when the department presented its Quarter One report for the 2017/2018 financial year.

During the first quarter of the financial year the department only managed to collect R115 million of more than R7 billion owed to it by municipalities and water boards.

“The DWS views the failure of water users to pay for the services in a serious light as this failure has adverse implications for the department in the execution of its mandate,” the department said in a statement.

Q1 results

On its Quarter One report, the DWS revealed that it has 15% of its original R15 billion budget with Acting Director-General Sifiso Mkhize saying the department is on the right track in as far as achieving its set targets for the year.

The department has used over R800 million to pay for its 2016/17 accruals which amounted to R1.5 billion. These were mainly due to the late submission of invoices. This has resulted in the department reprioritising its Accelerated Community Infrastructure Programme and Water Services Infrastructure Grant projects to cater for the accruals.

As of 30 June 2017, the department had spent over R1 billion for its infrastructure projects out of the R11 billion that is allocated. In terms of the Bucket Eradication Programme, the department overspent by R45 616 000 on a budget allocation of R145 000 000.