THE Mankweng Ratepayers Association, represented by George Maupa says they cannot call themselves ratepayers when they do not want to pay rates and taxes.
Problems are being encountered by the municipality regarding the recouping of arrears accounts of this Mankweng community. Polokwane mayor Freddy Greaver, during a council meeting in October last year said problems with the billing system could not justify Mankweng residents not paying for services. He added that it was time that payment should be enforced. He said Mankweng residents were consulted and the municipality explained to them why they should also pay for services.
Municipal spokesperson Matshidiso Mothapo said more than three consultation meetings regarding the payment of services including assessment rates, were held at Mankweng.
He said the municipality had a consultative meeting with the ratepayers association and the Public Protector’s office and the understanding that was reached was that there had been consultation. Mothapo said residents, where applicable, could also register as indigent, so they could get relief from the municipality.
Maupa distinguished the Mankweng area from the township area and said it was not true that the municipality had engaged with Mankweng township ratepayers, and they had never met the municipal manager or spokesperson.
“They must come down here so we could talk to them. We must talk about how much we pay per dustbin collected and other payments.
“We are around 4 000 people in the township, and the other people in the Mankweng area do not pay, but they get water from taps and water tankers. Why must we pay if they do not pay?” asked Maupa. “We will not pay.” He also said it was unfair that residents putting out one dustbin for collection must pay the same than people who put out more dustbins.
Maupa said the township’s rate payers association needs “special attention”, and attention apart from the IDP process, as the association is a communal organisation and a legal person in its own right.
Mothapo told CV last year that the municipality would not generalise on this matter and would enforce payment. At the time, Maupa said the association was hoping “to settle the matter favourably by cancelling this erroneous billing and starting on a clean slate”.
“They (the municipality) took it for granted that since Polokwane residents are paying rates we would follow suit without any consultation,” he said. “We were never consulted. We asked for a roll call and minutes and they could not produce them.”
According to Maupa, they have now reached a deadlock which still prevails. Maupa said he hoped the municipality would not use force as the only way to solve problems, but would realise that dialogue was the way to go.
He was adamant that they would not pay up, however. When told about the mayor’s open public invitation and drive to see citizens with billing problems on Monday mornings until further notice, Maupa said the invitation was not for them and the mayor must come to them.
“The municipal manager should be hands-on with the communities she is serving.
We only know she is a woman but we have never seen her face. If she is office-bound, problems will crop up.”
