THE embattled Emfuleni Local Municipality revenue collections service providers clashed with the Vanderbijlpark townhouse residents as they were switching off electricity, demanding 35% debt to be paid.
On Monday, 1 April, residents from many parts of the town clashed with armed Red Ants security as they were busy switching off electricity for many houses that owe the municipality rates and taxes.
One of the residents told Daily Sun that he owed the municipality more than R80 000 and tried to negotiate, but the municipality demanded a down payment.
“That's still high and also the officials that are switching off their electricity are selective as they don’t switch off houses that belong to their friends, houses that belongs to municipal officials and they also demand a minimum of R1 000 to reconnect a house illegally,” he alleged.
Another resident alleged that the municipality is not rendering any services.
“The streetlights that are not working, refuse removal is also not stable, roads are full of potholes, while they claim we owe services that they are not rendering,” she alleged.
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Emfuleni municipal spokesman Makhosonke Sangweni said the municipality can confirm that the disconnection initiative took place in Vanderbijlpark areas as part of the municipality revenue intensification and collection.
Sangweni said the municipality has a dedicated team in the revenue department that deals with dispute and that any consumer who is unhappy on how the matter was handled is invited back at the municipality customer care department for further engagement.
“All consumers are urged to pay for the municipality service to aid the municipality to meet its debt and financial obligations to bulk supply and more importantly to deliver services to the people of Emfuleni.
“The culture of non-payment should be discouraged and dealt with firmly,” he said.
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