eThekwini residents urged to apply for city’s debt relief

The eThekwini Municipality has encouraged its ratepayers, who are struggling to pay their bills, to apply for the city’s Debt Relief Programme before the year ends.

The city recently reinstated the Debt Relief Programme, which allows ratepayers struggling with their municipal bills to settle their outstanding debt over a maximum period of 36 months.

The programme, which ends on 31 December 2023, is targeting residential and business customers, who are finding it difficult to service their debt to the municipality.

In order to qualify for the relief, the debt must be 90 days or older, and a down payment of 5% deposit for residential and 10% for business customers must be made. 

The city’s Head of the Revenue Management Unit, Lihle Ndzelu said, an agreement will be signed and the accumulated interest will be written off. 

“Customers believe up to 36 months to settle every outstanding debt. Once the arrangement is made, customers acquire to honour it and if a customer defaults on payment or pays less than the required instalment, every written-off interest will be reinstated,” Ndzelu explained.

Ndzelu said the programme also benefits non-profit organisations, including dilapidated age homes and homes for people with disabilities, mental hospitals and Early Childhood Development centres.

“They will be granted a substantial 50% capital debt write-off once they enter into a payment arrangement. This benefit is conditional on these organisations not falling into arrears within a period of 12 months after settling their debts.

“The municipality recognises the severe financial strain that some residents are facing. As a caring city, we must finish every we can to alleviate the financial burden on the municipality’s valued residents,” Ndzelu said.

The municipality has previously approved and implemented the programme from December 2022 to February 2023, but decided to reinstate it after the customers requested it.

For more information on the programme, customers may approach their nearest Sizakala Centre and provide every supporting documentation when applying for the programme. – SAnews.gov.za