Durban - In recent weeks, the City of Tshwane and City of Joburg municipalities have embarked on massive drives to recover outstanding utility payments. While the City of Tshwane is trying to recover R17 billion, the City of Joburg wants to get back around R38 billion.
eThekwini Municipality is doing the same, however, they just aren't publicly naming and shaming defaulters.
"eThekwini is currently disconnecting all customers that are in arrears. This is an ongoing exercise, and the processes are automated, said eThekwini Municipality spokesperson, Msawakhe Mayisela.
The City did not respond to further questions regarding how much was owed to the city.
While their counterparts have opted to name and shame those in debt, the DA's Nicole Graham says the eThekwini has started some disconnections.
She said the recent disconnections conducted by the City of Tshwane has shown South Africans what should happen when you don’t pay for your municipal services: you lose access to them!
"eThekwini is in a serious financial predicament. Like Tshwane and the City of Joburg, the city is owed R17 billion in debt and has dwindling cash on hand. Many of the big debtors are not people who genuinely cannot afford to pay, but rather government departments and parastatals who have gotten used to preferential treatment," Graham said.
Graham, the DA's leader in eThekwini, said the solution is simple.
"Bill properly, offer relief for those who genuinely need it and then disconnect people who don’t pay. eThekwini could collect millions overnight if it got serious about issuing disconnection notices and switching people off.
“What has happened in Tshwane is the DA difference in action. Recovering debt to be able to deliver services is non-negotiable for eThekwini to be sustainable. Taking action against big debtors has to happen immediately," she said.
IOL