Municipal services relief for poor

DURBAN residents who could prove they were struggling to make ends meet could be exempt from paying for municipal services as from July.

This was the ethekwini Municipality’s executive committee’s decision as it moved to implement the Indigent Policy for the next financial year, which begins in July.

The proposal for the policy was made in the council last year to provide basic services to the poor.

It was aimed at providing a framework for the provision of a social package of benefits to the indigent.

This would include providing basic services (water and sanitation, electricity and refuse collection) to the community in a sustainable manner within the financial capacity of the city.

It would also review the affordability of basic services through appropriate service levels, tariffs and debt relief while allowing for the provision of rates relief.

Msawakhe Mayisela, the city’s spokesperson, said those who would qualify would be closely monitored.

“This is a sign that we are a caring municipality, but we want to emphasise that those who can afford to pay must continue. At this stage, we are unable to speculate the cost associated with the policy.

“There are measures in place and we will work with various government departments to make the policy benefit the right people,” Mayisela said.

To qualify for the indigent support, criteria must be met and residents would have to submit an application form with supporting documents.

Also, the household income must not exceed the total household income that will be determined by the city in the next annual budget.

The policy would cover the indigent support for child-headed households, informal settlements and retirement complexes as well as deceased estates.

Regarding the duration of the support, Mayisela said the policy would be valid for two years, after which a beneficiary would have to make a new application.

Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda said this was a demonstration that it was a caring municipality. He urged residents who could afford to pay for basic services, to do so.

“We are also appealing to residents who have the means to pay for services we are rendering, to do so. We should all be mindful of the fact that these services do not come cheap, the city spends a considerable amount of money for them to be provided unceasingly.

“Failure to pay for these services while some of us can afford to will have a negative impact on our revenue,” Kaunda said.

The policy would be posted on the municipal website with prescribed forms available at customer service centres, Sizakala Centres and the municipal website.

The policy will be reviewed annually by the revenue management unit, said Mayisela.