Cape Town mayor Helen Zille on Friday assured the city’s residents that disadvantaged people would continue to receive services.
”This month I would like to invite all residents who owe council money for rates and services, but who are unable to pay their debts, to come forward and take advantage of our indigent policy,” she said in a statement.
While the city was obliged, in terms of the Municipal Systems Act, to collect rates and service fees, and also had to implement credit control and debt collection, it did not want people having financial difficulties to feel they had nowhere to turn.
”We have an indigent policy, which will ensure that disadvantaged people in our city can continue to receive services,” Zille said.
Residents with a total household income of less than R1 640 a month and who did not own more than one property qualified for indigent relief in terms of the policy, no matter how big their debt was.
By approaching any council customer-care office in Cape Town, qualifying residents with outstanding debts could ensure they would not face debt collection action and would not be charged any interest on arrears, provided that they paid their current account together with an agreed amount towards their arrears.
Residents should bring an ID document, and proof of income in the form of a payslip, confirmation of income from their employer, an affidavit of income, or proof of receipt of disability, maintenance grant or pension.
Unemployed claimants needed to provide an affidavit confirming their status and a declaration that they had no other source of income.
Details of people over the age of 18 years living on the property, including their ID numbers and source of income, if any, also needed to be provided.
”In terms of the indigent policy, we also exempt all properties that have a municipal valuation of R50 000 or less from paying property rates,” she said.
All properties with a municipal valuation of R100 000 or less, would also receive an indigent grant of R20 a month towards the payment of their rates and services account.
Apart from receiving their first 6 000 litres of water and first 50kWh of electricity (those who used less than 450kWh of electricity in total) free each month, all informal residential debtors would also receive a free basic refuse removal service.
The council also offered rates rebates for retired and disabled residents.
”We want residents to understand that we are here to help. Last month we achieved a record revenue collection of R746,2-million for rates and services alone, which is the highest in a single month since the formation of the Cape Town Unicity.
”I would like to thank residents and businesses and other spheres of government for their continued support and cooperation,” Zille said.
Cape Town has rates and services arrears of R3,5-billion. — Sapa