If you owe King Sabata Dalindyebo municipality for rates and services — whether you are a business owner, an ordinary citizen or a municipal official — your electricity will be cut off.
KSD mayor Nyaniso Nelani issued this stern warning to residents from Mthatha and the surrounding areas at a media briefing at the Mayfair Hotel on Monday.
Nelani said the municipality was owed in excess of R400m by businesses, government departments and residents.
“The municipality is facing a huge financial challenge and is unable to collect the debt owed it,” he said.
“Every community member, starting with us [politicians and officials at KSD], who have to pay for municipal services and rates, will have to do so going forward.
“Whether you are businessman or woman, ratepayer or a government department, you have to pay.
“The municipality should be getting what is due to it,” he said.
Nelani warned that failing to settle outstanding debts with the municipality would result in services such as electricity being cut off.
“We cannot have a situation where you enjoy services that you haven't paid for.”
He said this was part of a new revenue-enhancing strategy..
The Daily Dispatch recently reported that KSD had announced an extension to a 50% discount on outstanding debts.
However, Nelani said there was a “basket of reasons” why people had not come forward in their droves to take advantage of the deal.
One reason was that people were unemployed or poverty-stricken and found it hard to pay their debt.
Another reason was that if people felt the municipality was not delivering the quality of services it should, they would refrain from paying their debt.
Nelani also spoke on the issue of Mthatha’s dilapidated road networks but insisted a lot of work had been done to improve the situation through KSD's own plant, which they had acquired in 2018.
But he acknowledged that much still had to be done to rehabilitate most roads.
“The reality is that 90% of our road network has exceeded its design lifespan and is beyond pothole patching.
“But we rely on the municipal infrastructure grant from national government, which is limited.
“If we had a huge budget, we would be able to do a lot,” Nelani said.
Eastern Cape Chamber of Business president Vuyisile Ntlabati said while they encouraged people to always pay for rates and services, the municipality was failing to even provide people with statements showing how much they owed.
He said in some instances, people had to wait for six months to get a statement detailing their debt for rates and services.
“Paying is key to the survival of a municipality.
“But there should be quality services rendered, there should be value for money for the people as well,” Ntabati said.
sikhon@dispatch.co.za
Warning to KSD ratepayers: pay debt or get cut off
If you owe King Sabata Dalindyebo municipality for rates and services — whether you are a business owner, an ordinary citizen or a municipal official — your electricity will be cut off.
KSD mayor Nyaniso Nelani issued this stern warning to residents from Mthatha and the surrounding areas at a media briefing at the Mayfair Hotel on Monday.
Nelani said the municipality was owed in excess of R400m by businesses, government departments and residents.
“The municipality is facing a huge financial challenge and is unable to collect the debt owed it,” he said.
“Every community member, starting with us [politicians and officials at KSD], who have to pay for municipal services and rates, will have to do so going forward.
“Whether you are businessman or woman, ratepayer or a government department, you have to pay.
“The municipality should be getting what is due to it,” he said.
Nelani warned that failing to settle outstanding debts with the municipality would result in services such as electricity being cut off.
“We cannot have a situation where you enjoy services that you haven't paid for.”
He said this was part of a new revenue-enhancing strategy..
The Daily Dispatch recently reported that KSD had announced an extension to a 50% discount on outstanding debts.
However, Nelani said there was a “basket of reasons” why people had not come forward in their droves to take advantage of the deal.
One reason was that people were unemployed or poverty-stricken and found it hard to pay their debt.
Another reason was that if people felt the municipality was not delivering the quality of services it should, they would refrain from paying their debt.
Nelani also spoke on the issue of Mthatha’s dilapidated road networks but insisted a lot of work had been done to improve the situation through KSD's own plant, which they had acquired in 2018.
But he acknowledged that much still had to be done to rehabilitate most roads.
“The reality is that 90% of our road network has exceeded its design lifespan and is beyond pothole patching.
“But we rely on the municipal infrastructure grant from national government, which is limited.
“If we had a huge budget, we would be able to do a lot,” Nelani said.
Eastern Cape Chamber of Business president Vuyisile Ntlabati said while they encouraged people to always pay for rates and services, the municipality was failing to even provide people with statements showing how much they owed.
He said in some instances, people had to wait for six months to get a statement detailing their debt for rates and services.
“Paying is key to the survival of a municipality.
“But there should be quality services rendered, there should be value for money for the people as well,” Ntabati said.
sikhon@dispatch.co.za
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