Durban man dodges water scam with community help

A Durban man’s quick consultation with his community WhatsApp group prevented him from electronically transferring money to a person posing as a municipal official.

On Friday, the eThekwini Municipality stated that it has been made aware of criminals disguising themselves as municipal employees purporting to be from the eThekwini Water Services Directorate.

Recently, Sumen Moodley asked other residents in his community group if they had received a message from "a guy who says he is from the municipality".

He then shared a letter the man WhatsApped him. The letter had a municipal logo and was dated April 10, 2025. 

The letter stated: "This notice serves to inform all industrial and domestic water users that eThekwini Municipality is installing restrictors to your water meter to reduce water pressure. This is done to save water as we are experiencing water shortages and the demand is high. You are hereby requested not to tamper with the restrictor in your water meters."

The letter was signed, "Yours faithfully, water restrictions". Under the signature, there were four different landline contact numbers. 

Moodley said he was not sure how the person obtained his contact number.

“I messaged him back, this guy is playing games, he just called me and asked me for R200 to buy cool drink, then he won't put the water restrictor,” Moodley wrote in a WhatsApp to the group. 

On the chat, another resident advised Moodley that these restrictors were done previously and that contractors marked the water meter box with a yellow or red dot upon completion. 

Another resident stated that any further restrictors will damage the geysers.

"We must not allow this to happen; they find excuses." He advised Moodley to contact the councillor to investigate.

In a WhatsApp message to Moodley, the person with eThekwini as his profile name stated: “Morning this is inspector msabala from ethekwini municipality water and sanitation. I was sent to restrict water cause the municipality is experiencing shortage and the demand is high. Are you aware. Please get back to me when you get my messages asap,"

Moodley, unaware of the scam, texted back that he did not need a restrictor and that he had a newborn baby and a sickly 70-year-old man. He wrote that he was paying for the water and that the person should go and cut the water that people are using for free. 

The municipality explained that these criminals are allegedly soliciting bribes from residents, claiming they have been sent to disconnect the water supply and requesting a bribe for the resident’s water not to be disconnected.

It is alleged that residents from Newlands and surrounding areas have fallen victim to this scam.

The municipality urged residents to stay vigilant and discouraged them from encouraging this criminal conduct by willingly paying a bribe.

It stated that it does not collect cash on the spot, nor does it send employees to collect money directly from residents. They advised that municipal services are paid for at their facilities and through the bank.

Municipal employees, when assigned to any property, always carry identification cards and a disconnection slip. 

Residents who are approached for bribes are urged to report this to the city’s Integrity and Investigations Directorate by calling the toll-free number 0800 20 20 20 or 031 311 4002 or sending an email to ombuds@durban.gov.za

zainul.dawood@inl.co.za