Tensions rise between Sanco and Tshwane metro over debt collectors

The metro has issued a tender to various companies in a bid to recover outstanding monies from residents and businesses.

“The metro will not be terminating the services of these billing agencies as their services are needed to support the financial turnaround of the municipality,” acting Tshwane mayoral spokesperson Jordan Griffiths told Pretoria Rekord last Thursday.

This followed a Sanco protest action to the Tshwane House last Wednesday, where marchers demanded among others, that the metro should terminate the appointments of billing agencies, saying their appointments were done without public consultation.

“The metro using debt collectors to get residents to pay their overdue bills will never happen,” Sanco said.

Addressing the media at the Hotel 224 in Arcadia on the eve of the protest, Sanco Gauteng provincial chairperson Chris Malematja said President Cyril Ramaphosa issued a directive for all to wash their hands given the current coronavirus pandemic.

“But how on earth can the Tshwane metro then say we must pay for that very same water?”

Malematja said money had been set aside to assist during the lockdown and it was “high time it was used”.

“In Johannesburg, R400-million was set aside and used to clear people’s debt incurred during Covid-19. We are saying the Tshwane metro is not special and the same must happen.”

Addressing thousands of Sanco members outside the Tshwane House, Sanco Tshwane regional chairperson Abram Mashishi said the appointment of billing agencies had to be terminated with immediate effect.

He said thousands of people had lost their jobs during lockdown and, therefore, debt accumulated during this period, and all accounts affected by high billing system should be reassessed.

“Because the country is still in a technical lockdown, all debt collection must be put on hold.”

Mashishi said the metro should not demand people to pay while the country was still in lockdown and thousands of people were unemployed.

“The historic high billing system must be reassessed and all bills cancelled.”

Mashishi warned that they would escalate their protests should the metro fail to meet their demands.

The Tshwane metro, on the other hand, justified the appointment of the collection agencies as a step in the right direction.

Griffiths said the metro needed to collect on its debt or face further financial difficulty.

“Debt collection cannot be put on hold and bills will not be scrapped, bills need to be paid.”

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