Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina called out board members at Amatola Water Board and Magalies Water Board for taking R3.7 million in unauthorized payments over three years. The Amatola crew grabbed R2.8 million while Magalies members pocketed around R960,000, and all of this went down without ministerial approval for extra meeting attendance beyond the allowed six sessions per year.
The minister discovered the sketchy payments earlier this year and fired off warnings to water sector entities about seeking retroactive approvals. Board members were billing for additional meetings at rates up to R1,240 per hour for chairpersons, with some raking in massive sums while communities struggled with dry taps and failing infrastructure. An independent investigation into Amatola has wrapped up, and Majodina says consequences are coming for both boards.
Critics are furious because municipalities owe billions to these same water boards, yet leadership kept padding their own wallets during a nationwide water crisis affecting places like the Eastern Cape.
The minister discovered the sketchy payments earlier this year and fired off warnings to water sector entities about seeking retroactive approvals. Board members were billing for additional meetings at rates up to R1,240 per hour for chairpersons, with some raking in massive sums while communities struggled with dry taps and failing infrastructure. An independent investigation into Amatola has wrapped up, and Majodina says consequences are coming for both boards.
Critics are furious because municipalities owe billions to these same water boards, yet leadership kept padding their own wallets during a nationwide water crisis affecting places like the Eastern Cape.
