POLOKWANE – After having the lights switched off for owing a collective R144,132 million in debt, the provincial departments of Public Works, Education and that of national Public Works, made urgent payments.
Read more: [WATCH] Muni switches off water, electricity at Lim depts
On Thursday, 24 October, the Municipality’s Portfolio Committee on Finance and Local Economic Development embarked on a switch-off mission, disconnecting electricity supply at various government-owned buildings in the city who owed money. This was but the first batch of cut-offs, with more to follow, municipal CFO Naazim Essa assured. He said other departments would be put on a list to be monitored weekly to see if they keep to their payment arrangement, and if they default, their electricity will be disconnected.
By Tuesday, 29 October, the Department of Rural Development and the Department of Health had engaged to arrange the settling of debt, said Municipal Spokesperson, Thipa Selala.
Amounts owed:
Department of Education – R9,7 million.
Department of Health – R4,5 million.
Department of Public Works – R50,9 million.
National Public Works – R16,4 million.
Department of Rural Development – R53,1 million
“The municipality is also arranging for a high delegation engagement with departmental heads regarding servicing of their debts as there is intention to install prepaid meters for all government buildings. It should be understood that the termination of services is not meant to punish anyone, but a just exercise to ensure that the municipality is also able to provide services to its consumers,” Selala said.
He added that the municipality is not in a position to tell how much was recovered as a revenue team is still reconciling accounts.
“The Department of Rural Development was the only one that was still in the dark and was reconnected to be able to access their systems so that they could process payment. The defaulting departments acknowledged their debt and committed to settling by the end of this week ” Selala said.
Neil Shikwambana, Spokesperson for Health said as far as they were concerned their accounts with the municipality were up to date.
“We do not own the buildings we are occupying, but lease it from the Department of Public Works. It was Public Works owing the municipality for rates and taxes, for buildings we are leasing, not for electricity as alluded by the municipality. We will utilise the intergovernmental relations platform to handle the matter further with the municipality, Because we feel that the media assertion by the municipality was absolutely unnecessary.”
Sam Makondo, Spokesperson for Education also said the issue has to do with outstanding rates and taxes, which he said was not within their scope, but that of Public Works. He said payment of outstanding amounts of schools are in progress.
