Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina says municipalities’ outstanding debt to the country’s water boards has grown to R28 billion. The minister presents the figure as an indication of the scale of unpaid municipal obligations to entities responsible for supplying water and related services.
According to the report, the debt amount reflects accumulated arrears that have increased over time, placing financial pressure on water boards and complicating their capacity to operate and maintain infrastructure. The statement situates municipal non-payment as a key challenge in the water sector, affecting both service delivery continuity and the broader system of funding for water infrastructure.
The report does not provide additional breakdowns, such as which specific municipalities account for the largest shares of the debt, how long arrears have been outstanding, or what enforcement or repayment measures are being pursued. The central shared point across coverage is the minister’s disclosure that the total municipal arrears to water boards reach R28 billion.
