Lepelle Northern Water has formally denied owing any outstanding wages to former contract workers, following protests that brought construction at the Giyani Water Service Project to a halt on 3 August 2026. The water utility maintains that its internal records show no unpaid invoices or outstanding salary claims for the workers whose contracts officially concluded in June 2026.
Dispute Over Unpaid Wages
The former workers, who initiated a strike by closing the water plant, allege that they have not received payment for seven months of service. Shadrack Mabaso, acting as the spokesperson for the group, stated during a protest action that the outstanding payments date back to 2024 and 2025.
The reason we embarked on a strike and closed the site is because of our unpaid invoices. I’m not talking about one month payment. I’m talking about six, seven months payment that is still outstanding. I’m talking of payments that have been outstanding from 2024, 2025, and now it’s 2026.
In response, Lepelle Northern Water spokesperson Joe Makhafola asserted that the utility’s financial records do not corroborate the claims made by the former staff. He advised the aggrieved workers to utilise official grievance channels should they believe they have legitimate claims against the organisation.
All our invoices does not show that we have any outstanding invoices from our records. I mean, if we do have a claim against them or they have a claim against us, there are channels that they can utilize to address those issues. But as far as we are known, there’s no outstanding claim towards any service provider.
Project History And Community Impact
The Giyani Water Service Project, a multi-billion-rand infrastructure initiative intended to supply water to numerous villages in the Mopani District, has been plagued by delays since its 2010 launch. Originally scheduled for completion in 2014, the project has frequently faced scrutiny, including investigations by the Special Investigating Unit regarding corruption and irregular tender awards.
The latest industrial action has halted work on phase three of the development, further stalling efforts to resolve long-standing water supply issues in the region. Authorities are expected to monitor the situation closely to determine if a formal mediation process will be initiated to resolve the ongoing payment dispute.