ANC Tshwane Spokesperson Joel Masilela addresses media photo by Dimakatso Modipa
Greater Tshwane ANC Caucus Spokesperson Joel Kgomotso Masilela has lambasted former MMC for Finance Jacqui Uys for trying to divert attention from the good work that is currently being done by the incumbent City of Tshwane Coalition government under the leadership of the ANC.
“We are actually fixing the mess that was created by the DA-led coalition government regarding the finances of the City of Tshwane,” said Masilela.
At a media briefing held at Tshwane House on Monday, Masilela said he is proud of the City of Tshwane’s debt relief programme whereby R10 billion will be written off.
“We have our MMCs and Councillors on the ground to make sure that the current leadership of the City of Tshwane addresses that which has not been addressed in the last eight years by the DA-led coalition government in the City of Tshwane.
“Our biggest concern is the messaging coming from Uys that is meant to deceive our people,” said Masilela.
“We are clearing up all the waste and litter that has been piling up in the streets of the township, making interventions regarding sewerage spillages and also making sure that the finances of the City of Tshwane are corrected by scrapping off the huge debtors book regarding funds that cannot be recovered, and making sure that those who are poor are placed on the indigent beneficiary list while those that can afford to pay but are experiencing difficulties are given incentives to make sure that every resident of the City of Tshwane, from embassies to townships and rural parts of the City participate in the City’s recovery plan and pay the City what is due to the City,” explained Masilela.
“Budgets that have been tabled previously in the City of Tshwane were unfunded under the DA-led coalition government and in their budgets they could not go to the debt capital market to solicit funds because the City’s financial position was downgraded even by international rating agencies” he said.
“The previous coalition government couldn’t even convince its own residents to pay for rate services, this as the residents were aggrieved by the municipality’s wrongful billing system and failure to provide services.
He said the DA coalition government was punishing people instead of consulting them in cases where they were indebted to the City, and their vending capabilities on water and electricity.
He also blamed the previous DA-led government for firing officials who were supposed to collect debts on current accounts and as a result 90% of the debt couldn’t be collected and that this is what brought the City to its knees.
He said the debt relief programme, the Municipality will make a distinction between those who must pay their accounts and those who genuinely can’t afford to pay.
On the issue of overvaluing property Masilela said this is a falsehood that is being spread by the DA and announced that those who feel that their property has been overvalued must have a conversation with the City of Tshwane.
“The City must push for the normalisation of all accounts because water and electricity are in some instances consumed by people in the informal settlements as well as those who don’t pay their bills,” he said.
He admitted that water-related debts of residents of communities like Ikageng in Mamelodi and Hammanskraal should be written off as they haven’t had water coming out of their taps for the last four years, adding that the previous DA-led coalition government didn’t even want to engage the said communities in the conversation to scrap water-related debts.
It emerged at the media briefing that child-headed households, the indigent and those whose property falls under R250 000 will get an automatic 100% debt write-off.
Debts that are 12 months old can be traced but beyond 12 months they are irrecoverable in the private residential sector as well as in the business sector.
This is why those who commit to repaying their debts would in some instances have 70% of their debt scrapped because the debtors book must be cleared as the City of Tshwane can’t present “an untidy debtors book” to any financial institution.
The City of Tshwane is also doing outreach programmes that involve government officials, Councillors, PR Councillors and the finance department so that they can all understand the debt relief programme.
Ward Committee members have been workshopped on the City’s amnesty programme and now they have hit the ground explaining how it works to the residents.
“Many residents of Tshwane are eager to apply for amnesty and around 3000 of them, who have not been paying for services for many years, will come forward as they say they can no longer live with the guilt of not paying for services,” enthused Councillor Masilela.