Pay up or risk losing your property, says Cogta MEC

In an effort to recoup billions of rands owed to municipalities, harsher consequences for non-payment will soon be implemented, including the possibility of attaching defaulters’ properties.

This announcement was made by KZN MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Sipho Hlomuka during a visit to Port Shepstone and Gamalakhe last week as part of the “Masakhane, Let’s Rise and Build” campaign.

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Some R20.1 billion is owed to municipalities across the province, with Ugu, Ray Nkonyeni, Umdoni, Umuziwabantu and Umzumbe municipalities collectively owed more than a billion rand.

Other interventions mentioned by the MEC included:

* A grace period for defaulters, or those with illegal water and electricity connections who voluntarily come forward

* Incentives for those who are paying for municipal services

* Registration of residents who qualify for indigent support

* Taking to court defaulters who refuse to settle their municipal bills.

The MEC said the vast sums owed to municipalities had prompted him to come up with a strategy to try and recoup the debt through this awareness drive.

“We are calling on all consumers who owe their municipalities to come forward and make the necessary arrangements to pay up,” he said.

He added his department was also working with municipalities to update indigent support policies for residents who run households and who can’t afford to pay their municipal rates and service charges.

At the meetings, also attended by Ugu District Municipality Mayor Sizwe Ngcobo and Ray Nkonyeni Municipality Mayor Cynthia Mqwebu, questions about the time frame in which to address these concerns were raised.

MEC Hlomuka will also visit other municipalities in an effort to enhance revenue.

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