City of Tshwane guns for all defaulters
The City of Tshwane is trying to recover from the debts owed by residents.
To proactively recover outstanding debts, the City of Tshwane issued 14 000 Section 129 notices to residents, businesses, government entities, and embassies with overdue accounts.
This move marks the start of the debt-collection process, aiming to secure payments and assets, including property, from defaulting payers.
The Section 129 notices are formal demands, aligning with the relaunched Tshwane Ya Tima revenue-collection campaign.
This campaign focuses on disconnecting services for those accumulating high utility bills and failing to settle their dues.
Jacqui Uys, the MMC for Finance, said, “Electricity and water theft is a crime, and illegal connections are a criminal offence. It is not a faceless crime. By illegally connecting, you rob the city of its revenue and fellow residents of services,” said Uys.
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Additional teams have reinforced the Tshwane Ya Tima programme to enhance daily disconnections. Uys reported a noticeable impact on daily cash collections, with the city poised to achieve significant milestones in meeting its financial rescue plan targets.
Despite calls from residents to target specific areas with high default rates, Uys clarified that the debtors’ book spans various communities and comprises accounts from businesses, government entities, and residential areas across Tshwane.
The top-owing wards in Tshwane include Ward 42, with an outstanding balance of R756.7m and a payment rate of 53.68%, followed by Ward 101, owing R726.5m with a payment rate of 40.23%.
Ward 69 boasts the highest payment rate of 69.73%. Illegal connections persist, with recent discoveries of tampered meters resulting in significant debts owed to the city.
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Businesses found to have tampered with meters face substantial penalties, and continuous monitoring is implemented to deter further illegal reconnections.
The city is taking legal action against property owners involved in illegal connections, with plans to open criminal cases and do internal audits to address potential employee complicity.
Residents are urged to provide information to combat corruption and uphold accountability. The fines for illegal connections and electricity theft are substantial, underscoring the seriousness of the offences.
Mayor Cilliers Brink stressed the importance of prompt payment for services rendered to sustain essential infrastructure and honour financial commitments to utility providers.
The City of Tshwane remains steadfast in its efforts to ensure fiscal responsibility and equitable service delivery, calling upon all stakeholders to contribute to the collective prosperity of the community.
