Overstrand Mayor responds to protests and service delivery demands

On 12 February 2026, residents from towns across the Overstrand marched to municipal offices to raise concerns about service delivery, billing, and community needs.

These concerns had originally been outlined in a memorandum submitted to the Overstrand Municipality on 7 July 2025, which contained six key demands. In response, Executive Mayor Ald Archie Klaas issued a detailed statement addressing each of these concerns and outlining the municipality’s actions.

Regarding the demand for site visits in Masakhane, the municipality confirmed that an initial visit had been conducted the same day the memorandum was received, with follow-up visits carried out to monitor conditions. The installation of toilets and healing taps was completed according to the agreed timeframe.

On the issue of incorrectly issued bills, the municipality reported no known errors, while reminding residents that they could lodge disputes or enquiries if they believed a bill was incorrect. While door-to-door household visits were limited to indigent support cases, municipal staff were deployed at offices and community halls to assist residents with enquiries and account issues.

The municipality also reviewed the Drip Policy, suspending credit control actions and providing unrestricted water to consumers on the drip system. Debt write-offs totaling R53,730,895.91 were approved for irrecoverable accounts, and the number of indigent households increased from approximately 5,400 to nearly 8,000. Additional interventions in Masakhane and Blompark were prioritised, with actions taken according to available budget resources.

In his statement, Mayor Klaas urged residents to pay their municipal accounts on time, emphasizing that timely payments are essential to ensure the municipality’s financial sustainability and the continued delivery of quality services.