The elderly take a stand against high rates
Mr Bheki Kubheka has urged elderly who are having problems with their rates, to report it to the municipality.
eMBALENHLE – Disgruntled elderly people are intending to march against high municipal rates.
They say the rates are too high for pensioners.
They visited the eMbalenhle Police Station to submit their march application, not knowing that it should have been submitted to the municipality.
Speaking to the Ridge Times, they said they have compiled a list of a hundred senior citizens who are “victims of too high rates”.
“We only earn R1 400 and spend about R900 to R1 000 on service delivery. This excludes electricity.
“On top of that, we still have to buy food and support our grandchildren.
“This is unfair, Council must fix this,” said Ms Annah Masilo.
They further say that if the municipality owes Eskom money, they must not use the elderly to pay their debts.
They said they are no longer receiving their statements and to get these, they have to pay.
Mr Bheki Kubheka, acting head of communication and marketing, said he was not sure about the incident and the allegation that the elderly are charged above their income.
He said according to his knowledge, pensioners automatically fall in the indigent rate category.
“I am not sure because I do not have an exact case in front of me, however I think this might be money that was carried over over the years due to nonpayment.
“We cannot deprive them from their right to march, however if they could submit the list they have compiled, it can help identify their individual problems and we can come up with solutions.
“About the statements, we depend on the post office to deliver them and we all know that they have been having some problems.
“We are working on a plan to find another way to deliver the statements.”
Regarding the Eskom matter, Mr Kubheka said it is a separate issue and cannot be seen in the same light a service delivery issues.
Mr Kubheka urged residents to faithfully pay their municipal accounts in the same manner as buying airtime before making any calls.
The elderly said they will continue with the march, because they are “sick and tired of the high rates”.
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