ETHEKWINI Municipality has reinstated the Special Debt Relief Programme for customers whose account disputes were still under consideration when the programme’s previous window closed at the beginning of the year.

Also read: R22m from eThekwini 80/20 debt relief unallocated

A total of 154 account disputes with a combined value of about R112.3m relating to electricity, water and rates bills were still pending when the programme closed in January.

Mayor Cyril Xaba also called on customers who were unable to benefit from the programme due to pending account disputes to take advantage of this once-off opportunity. The programme will run until the end of August.

“When we first introduced the programme from May to June 2025 to write off 50% of qualifying debt owed to the City as at the end of January 2025, ratepayers and various key stakeholders appealed to us to extend the programme. As a listening and caring municipality, we responded by extending it from November 2025 to January to help alleviate the financial burden on households and businesses,” said Xaba.

The window, which concluded in January, enabled the municipality to write off R515m, providing financial relief to more than 4500 account holders. All customers who had lodged account disputes are to visit their nearest municipal customer service centres for assistance.

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