LOOK: Msunduzi Municipality begins disconnection drive to recoup millions owed for rates, water and electricity

Durban – A team of Msunduzi Municipality officials and employees led by acting municipal manager Nelisiwe Ngcobo kicked off on a month-long disconnection drive on Friday to recover money owed to the city for rates, water and electricity.

Ngcobo said the team comprised the acting chief financial officer, revenue manager and teams from electricity, water, meter reading and security.

“We are on a drive to do disconnections. We realised that we are owed a lot, it's about R5.5 billion.”

She said the city was trying to recover as much as possible with an initial focus on consumers who were owing rates.

“We cannot have the challenge in terms of cash flow when we have people who are owing us rates for an amount of about R1.2m. We want to recover as much as possible.”

Ngcobo said Friday’s drive was just the start.

“It is going to run for the entire month of September until we realise our revenue,” said Ngcobo.

Disconnections were conducted at government departments as well as companies:

• A firm in Mkondeni owing more than R1.3m in rates was disconnected

• A warehouse owing more than R200 000 was disconnected.

• Teams removed illegal connections and disconnected a warehouse in Berg Street, which owes the municipality over R1.3m.

• A government department owing more than R600 000 on rates, and illegal connection on electricity has been disconnected. The department also violated the municipal by-laws of having access to the meter.

• Another government department owing the city for water and electricity was disconnected.

“For the municipality to be able to provide basic services to all consumers we urge all consumers and businesses to play their part,” said the municipality.

THE MERCURY