The eThekwini Municipality strongly condemns the unlawful blocking of water depots by disgruntled contractors. These actions have obstructed municipal employees from performing their duties and disrupted the provision of essential water services to residents.
Addressing the Executive Committee (EXCO), City Manager Musa Mbhele explained that the decision to revise the appointment process for contract plumbers was informed by findings from the Auditor-General, which determined that the previous contracting arrangement was irregular.
In line with the Auditor-General’s recommendations, the City introduced a new procurement model through the Contractor Infrastructure Panel (CIP) to manage plumbing services. While some contractors challenged this process in court, interim measures were implemented under the approved CIP management contract to safeguard continuity of service delivery.
Certain former contractors have since expressed dissatisfaction, insisting on direct individual contracts with the City rather than operating as subcontractors under appointed managing contractors. Despite these disputes, implementation of the new system is progressing. In the Northern Region, onboarding has been completed and work is underway, with rollout continuing across other regions.
Executive Director of Technical Services, Ednick Msweli, emphasised that the current dispute relates primarily to the transition to the new contracting model. He further clarified that payment rates remain unchanged from the previous arrangement, with subcontractors now working under managing contractors who receive a 15% management fee approved by the City’s Bid Adjudication Committee (BAC).
To strengthen internal capacity and reduce reliance on external contractors, EXCO previously approved the recruitment of 121 additional plumbers. To date, 44 appointments have been finalised, bringing the City’s internal complement to approximately 56 plumbers. Recruitment of plumbing assistants is also underway to further reinforce these teams.
While contractors continue to play a supporting role in supplementing municipal capacity, the City remains committed to building a stronger internal workforce capable of delivering reliable and sustainable services to residents. The Municipality calls on all affected parties to engage through proper legal and administrative channels and to refrain from actions that compromise public infrastructure or disrupt essential services.
Msweli reaffirmed that the City remains committed to resolving current challenges while ensuring uninterrupted delivery of essential services to all communities.
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