City Clarifies Engagement with Correctional Services on Outstanding Accounts

Lindela Mashigo City of Tshwane Spokesperon

By Lindela Mashigo
City of Tshwane Spokesperon

The City of Tshwane has noted the public statement issued by the Department of Correctional Services regarding an intended electricity disconnection at the Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Centre.

The city wishes to clarify that at the time city officials visited the Kgosi Mampuru and Baviaanspoort Correctional facilities, the facilities’ municipal accounts were in arrears.

The city stands by this position.

Its records indicate that the accounts remain in significant arrears following a prolonged period of non-payment and the arrears are reflected on the city’s billing system and formed the basis for the site visits.

During these engagements, officials from the Department of Correctional Services did not point out any errors in the city’s account statements.

Instead, they indicated that they were
not aware of the full scope of the outstanding amounts on the accounts and undertook to engage the Department of Public Works to address the matter.

In recognition of this, and given the nature of the facilities involved, the city exercised discretion and allowed additional time for the issue to be resolved through the appropriate national department.

The Department was given until Monday to revert with a payment update from the Department of Public Works.

It must be emphasised that no electricity disconnection took place during the city official’s visit to both the facilities.

The city remains committed to cooperative governance and to resolving intergovernmental billing matters responsibly, while also applying its credit control processes consistently and fairly across all account holders.