Tshwane writes off debts

The Tshwane metropolitan council has moved to write off R754 million in debt incurred by the poor residents of Tshwane’s Mawiga Zone.

The agreement entails that the residents would still receive services from the entity formerly known as Sandspruit Works Association (SWA), which council voted to disestablish in July last year.

However, the debt will only be written off on the condition that the residents in question forthwith begin paying for the municipal services provided to them.

Tshwane’s mayoral spokesperson, Samkelo Mgobozi, said this was designed to encourage the residents of Mawiga to start being conscientious about paying their bills and municipal taxes.

In doing so, the city has undertaken to provide immediate interventions to ensure that the service levels in the Mawiga area are drastically improved.

This includes, but is not limited to, a R5-million project to replace sewer pipes, which started towards the end of last year.

“The project is currently underway and there are also plans to make additional funding available to continue with the sewer replacement project, once this first phase has been completed,” Mgobozi said.

He said the network was aged and has been a problem for the people of Ga-Rankuwa, and that the network had been neglected by the former administration.

“We are committed to fixing it once and for all.

“After years of poor management, the SWA’s absorption and this subsequent move to write off irrecoverable debt will form part of our vision to stabilise, revitalise and improve service delivery throughout the City,” Mgobozi said.

“This is a victory for this administration and the people of Mawiga and is evidence that this is an administration that cares for the vulnerable members of our community.”

Mgobozi said the SWA was a dysfunctional municipal entity and the council had voted to incorporate its functions into the City.

It previously served an area in Region 1 called Mawiga, which included Mabopane, Winterveld and GaRankuwa, he said.