eThekwini Municipality commits to timely payments After Durban plumber protest

The eThekwini Municipality has committed to paying contractors amid allegations that city plumbers have not been paid for months.

Plumbers, contracted to the City, protested recently outside the Florence Mkhize building in the Durban CBD. They complained that they have not been paid for their services for several months.

In a statement, the municipality reaffirmed its commitment to paying service providers timeously. The City, however, stated that among the challenges affecting payments are contractors filling out incorrect documentation.

It added that it will be rolling out comprehensive training for service providers to strengthen compliance with invoicing and documentation requirements.

“This proactive initiative forms part of the City’s ongoing efforts to streamline processes, enhance payment efficiency, and ensure that all invoice submissions meet the necessary standards,” said the municipality.

“The Municipality reaffirms its commitment to paying service providers timeously, provided that all claims submitted are legitimate, fully substantiated, and supported by the required documentation.

“The City continues to process payments on a weekly basis, in line with its established financial procedures,” the statement added.

It stated that Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) are paid within 14 days, while other service providers are paid within 30 days, subject to the submission of correct and complete documentation.

In cases where payments exceed the 30-day period, delays are typically due to disputes, incorrect or incomplete invoices, missing supporting documents, or identified irregularities, it said.

To further enhance efficiency and transparency, the City has finalised an online invoice submission system. This platform allows service providers to submit invoices electronically and track payment progress in real-time, significantly reducing the need for walk-ins and manual follow-ups.

In addition to the system upgrade, the municipality will conduct training sessions to assist service providers in understanding and navigating the online invoice and quotation systems.

These sessions aim to improve compliance, minimise errors, and support smoother processing of payments.

“The City remains committed to ensuring timely payments and urges all service providers to adhere to documentation and compliance requirements to avoid unnecessary delays,” it concluded.

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