DURBAN – A billboard erected by the Democratic Alliance accusing eThekwini officials of enabling a “water tanker mafia” has been removed days after the municipality threatened legal action.

The billboard, unveiled on 28 September along Durban’s N2 highway near Newlands East, featured photographs of mayor Cyril Xaba, city manager Musa Mbhele and water and sanitation executive director Ednick Msweli.

Its message read: “You can stop the water tanker mafia. Vote DA for water in your taps.”

DA eThekwini mayoral candidate Haniff Hoosen and DA KwaZulu-Natal leader Sithembiso Ngema unveiled the billboard as part of the party’s campaign ahead of the 4 November local government elections.

Lawyers for the three officials sent a letter on 30 September demanding the DA remove the billboard within 24 hours, issue a public apology and stop publishing what they called defamatory statements. The letter warned of possible High Court proceedings and said the wording implied the officials were involved in organised criminal activity.

Hoosen responded on 1 October, saying the billboard would remain unless a court ordered its removal. He said the billboard held the city’s political and administrative leadership accountable for the water crisis rather than accusing individuals of being mafia members.

However, a DA social media post this week claimed: “They took down our billboard overnight. They cannot take down the truth.” The post did not identify who removed the billboard or provide evidence of a municipal or court order.

As of 2 October, it remains unclear who removed the billboard or under what authority.

In his statement after the removal, Hoosen said: “The city has chosen to fight a billboard, threatening legal action to defend incompetence, rather than spending the money on fixing the pipes.”

The DA linked its campaign to what it described as 13 000 active water leaks in eThekwini and estimated losses of 21 billion litres of drinking water per month.

Parliamentary records show eThekwini spent R1.8 billion on water tanker services over five years, with spending rising from R102.6 million in 2020/21 to R814.8 million in 2024/25. The municipality recorded R657 million of irregular expenditure related specifically to hired water trucks.

The city’s chief financial officer, Sandile Mnguni, told parliament in May investigations were examining alleged overpayments, duplicate VAT charges and payments for tankers that allegedly did not deliver water.

ALSO READ: DA launches billboard campaign criticising premier’s hotel shower remarks amid Gauteng water crisis

eThekwini officials said the municipality had acquired 318 tankers and expected 43 more before the end of 2026, bringing water tanker services in-house at a cost of R345 million. The city said tankers were an emergency response to infrastructure failures and that it had allocated R10 billion to rebuild municipal infrastructure.

Parliament’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts has requested a detailed report on the top 10 water tanker service providers, including ownership information and total payments over five years.

The Special Investigating Unit is examining water and sanitation contracts as part of ongoing investigations into procurement irregularities.

Hoosen, announced as the DA’s eThekwini mayoral candidate, previously served as a DA member of parliament for 17 years and as a councillor in eThekwini.

ALSO READ: eThekwini ordered to fix sewers as service delivery challenges mount