eThekwini: Progress made in collecting debts
eThekwini Municipality claims progress has been made in collecting debts owed to it.
This was revealed by Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda during a Full Council meeting on Thursday.
The city has accumulated about R20 billion in uncollected debt.
Kaunda says the city has issued notices to public entities owing the municipality.
"We are anticipating that most of the departments like Public Works and others will be paying us between October and November. The Department of Education in Pinetown districts were owing us around R3.5 million, so since we switched them off, they were able to pay us.
"So we are also debating with others who have raised concerns about our billing like Transnet."
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"We are happy that the Department of Health are assisting their hospitals; otherwise, we would have also shut down the hospitals because there is no boundary when you owe us, you owe us. When you don't pay, we take action."
But the DA's Rory Macpherson says things still need to change drastically.
"You can't each month allow the debt to grow to R21 billion then to R21.5 billion without accountability. eThekwini is still one of the most wonderful cities in the world to live not just in South Africa, but we can make it better.
"We can achieve the dream of 2030, the most livable city for all. But now unless there is a change in accountability and a change in political will."
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