Contractors in eThekwini are grappling with delayed payments for essential services, leading to financial insecurity and frustration. Scores of contractors responsible for maintaining water infrastructure across Durban downed tools on Monday to vent their frustrations over not being paid for months by the eThekwini Municipality for services rendered.
The contractors claimed the outstanding dues from the entity, which in some instances date back to October, have left them on the edge of financial disaster, with their livelihoods at risk. They said the city’s poor communication and administrative deficiencies had caused their hardship, alleging that when they raised queries, they were sent from one department to another without any resolution.
eThekwini Municipality Response
In response to the situation, the municipality maintained that its payment systems were functioning efficiently, but that contractors had failed to adhere to the relevant administrative processes. However, contractors argue that they have all the necessary documents to validate their claims, and that the municipality’s Supply Chain Management (SCM) policies are to blame for the unpaid dues.
Contractors’ Demands
The disgruntled contractors said they were not prepared to return to work until their outstanding dues were paid. Speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of victimisation, a contractor said: “We haven’t been paid, yet we’ve been doing the work. In January, they did make some payment, but some of us still have outstanding invoices from December.”
The source added that when they queried payments, they were sent back and forth between the finance department and management, receiving only excuses. “We have all the necessary documents that validate our claims. Clearly, someone is misleading us. We fix all the leaks in the eThekwini region, but we are unable to meet our fuel, insurance and wage bills. We are working without compensation.”
Some of the key issues that need to be addressed include:
- Lack of transparency in the payment process
- Delays in processing payments
- Inadequate communication between departments
According to the eThekwini Municipality’s official website, the city is committed to providing quality services to its residents. However, the current situation with contractors suggests that there is still much work to be done to achieve this goal.</p)
