Lungani Zungu
The struggling ANC-run Msunduzi Local Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal continues to pull the plug on organisations that have been avoiding paying their bills for years.
The municipality that runs Pietermaritzburg is trying to recover an estimated R5,5 billion in unpaid rates and electricity bills.
Public institutions including schools, government departments, hospitals and clinics are responsible for over 70% of the bill.
Since launching its campaign last week, the municipality says it has collected more than R40m.
Acting municipal manager Nelisiwe Ngcobo said this is a far cry from the R500m the city aimed to collect at the end of this leg of its campaign.
She, however, said this would help the municipality which has been under the administrator for years to stay afloat.
Armed with big spanners and other tools, municipal workers went from building to building cutting water and electricity.
On Thursday, Transnet property in Devonshire road, which owed the municipality more than R14m, had its services disconnected.
Schools and police stations were not spared.
With an unpaid bill of R1.6m, Dunveria secondary was also left in the dark and without water.
The Plessislaer police and a local Home Affairs were also disconnected.
Mayor Mzimkhulu Thobela said the municipality could not afford to continue rendering services for free.
“Those who owe us must do the right thing or we will be forced to cut their services.
“Our team is on the ground and we will continue disconnecting until people start paying their bills,” said Thobela.
Thobela said last year that the stealing of water and electricity had reached a crisis point and added to the litany of woes facing the municipality.
The municipality owes Eskom more than R189 million.
Thobela said they will continue with the operation until the end of the month.
The City of Tshwane in Pretoria embarked on a similar operation earlier this year to recoup money that was owed to the city by private businesses and government departments.
Image source: @IOL
