‘If you can pay your DStv or instalments on a luxury vehicle, you can also pay for the water and electricity,’ says the mayor.
City of Tshwane mayor Cilliers Brink says while there is an impression that residents who owe the city are poor and cannot afford to settle their bills, the geographical spread of the debtor’s book tells a different story.
The mayor delivered his State of the Capital (Soca) on Thursday, where he outlined the city’s plans to get its finances in order.
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Although the city still has a long way to go as far as finances are concerned, it, however, received a qualified audit finding in the 2023 financial year, from the adverse finding the previous year.
“Two of the three adverse findings identified by the AG have been cleared – cashflow and creditors. This year, we will clear the last remaining adverse finding related to property, plant and equipment and we’re confident we will achieve an unqualified audit in this year,” said Brink.
“Our financial rescue is far from complete, a great deal of work still has to be done and the stakes couldn’t be higher.”
The city has published a funding plan along with its budget for public participation, in which it details plans to increase the income of the municipality and decrease distribution losses.
“We implemented a budget funding plan that included difficult but necessary decision, including forgoing salary increases, even though this unleashed the most violent, unprotected strike in the city’s history, including unprecedented levels of violence and criminality directed against the city, employees and residents. We stood our ground and the ground did not subside under our feet.”
Watch Brink’s Soca below:
Furthermore, Tshwane plans to establish a project management office to take charge of each aspect of the city’s revenue value chain.
“This includes the rollout of prepaid electricity meters, the dispatch of bills, the speedy resolution of disputes, credit control, and debt collection measures, such as the issuing of summons against large consumers who refuse to make payment arrangements.”
Tshwane ya Tima
Through its “Tshwane ya Tima” campaign, it will switch off its services to non-paying customers, but also impose harsh penalties and fines for all cases of illegal connections.
Last week, the city laid criminal charges against two residents in Garsfontein who allegedly illegally reconnected electricity at their house after it was disconnected.
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“Our city has one of the most generous baskets of free basic services to the poor of any city in the country. Beyond that basket of free basic services, people must pay for the services they use. This is what Tshwane ya Tima is about. We will cut off services if consumers do not pay.”
Brink said the impression that residents who owe the city are poor is not the reality on the ground.
“Having seen the geographical spread of our debtor’s book, I can confirm this is not the case. There are folks who are relatively well off, who can afford to pay, who have no dispute with the municipality but prefer to pay other bills other than those generated by the municipality. This is going to end,” said Brink.
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“If you can pay your DStv or instalments on a luxury vehicle, you can also pay for the water and electricity that is metered and that you use.”