Non-payment of municipal services is related to “a culture of entitlement and political opportunism”. By Stanley Gaba (personal views) Consumers, both private and business, owe the municipality (ELM) a staggering R3, 9 billion in unpaid service rates and taxes. Continued failure by communities to pay for services rendered to residents derails the aspirations of the people as contained in the IDP. In essence this non-payment of services renders this municipality ineffective. As at the present day, the municipal debt has reached high proportions to the level of incapacity for Emfuleni to render adequate services to communities. The active debtors stand at R3, 6 billion while the inactive is R3million due to non payment by consumers, and is increasing daily. The average payment level stands at 0.77 %, translating to an average of R180, 722,713.50 for the last 6 months. In some Wards, the payment levels are below 30% and even as low as 7.6%. Of great concern is that not only the poorest sections of our communities that owe the municipality, but also the wealthy sections of our communities. This municipality, like any other, generates income from a combination of property rates, tariffs, services such as water and electricity, as well as grants and subsidies from national and provincial governments. These are not enough if not complimented by service payments from the residents, businesses and rate-payers. Municipal services have to be paid for and communities must start paying for better and quality municipal services!! Service delivery and service payment are siamese twins! Sustainable and quality service delivery cannot be delivered by any other municipality, let alone ELM, without it being complimented by every capable rate-payers and business community service payment. The challenge the municipality is facing is civil disengagement or apathy that has become an increasingly serious and dangerous threat to its own life. In this regard, ineffective public programmes, unresponsive officials and politicians who are unable to mobilise public participation and co-operation are also contributing to the culture of civil apathy prevalent in our communities Many consumers and residents have become indifferent to their municipality as well as any service providers that are linked to it. In fact, whilst the average citizen identifies with his or her town, a large proportion do not identify with their Emfuleni Local Municipality. The habit of non-payment of services in Emfuleni (Vaal) has in many instances provided consumers with a timely outcome for not paying for their services, as they claim poverty, unemployment or other such factors are responsible for their non-payment. Opportunism as a cause of the non-payment of municipal services This problem of non-payment for services is greatly complicated by the entry of the business community into the problem and the debate. This is further followed by the so-called service protests that are now mushrooming in our precious towns (Vanderbijlpark and Vereeniging). Many businesses in Emfuleni are guilty of climbing onto the non-payment bandwagon instead of paying for their services and encouraging their employees to do the same. In fact, some businesses have claimed that if more than R62 million in bad debts accumulated by the historically black areas in 1995 can be written off, then the same principle should apply to their property and rate arrears. Private consumers, like Miami Sands and Wit huise residents in Vanderbijlpark, have also begun to reject the notion that it is necessary to pay for services such as electricity because they see others in townships ignoring Eskom with impunity. As one resident of Miami sands in Vanderbijlpark argued, “why should I pay while others have ways of getting electricity without paying a cent? I used to pay but then I decided to join them”. Another consumer maintained that he would not pay for electricity because suppliers only send bills to those who pay. Those who can’t afford to pay get cut off‟. Others argue referring to the perceptions that their billing accounts are incorrect therefore discourages them from paying. These huge bills, they argue, often exceed what they (consumers) can afford to pay in one instalment. Some consumers have had their services summarily terminated by the service provider, thus causing a great deal of dissatisfaction. Public dissatisfaction with poor service delivery Over the past few months ELM has experienced a wave of protest actions across most wards. At most, two community protests in a week!! Many of these protests have resulted in the same public amenities been destroyed, tarred roads being dug up, traffic robots being vandalised and in some cases motorists being pelted with stones. There are indications that criminals are exploiting the situation. Incidents of apparent xenophobia can also be witnessed. In a number of cases, the police had to use force to bring stability and to restore order. Police action included arrests for looting, public violence and various other crimes. Many reasons for these protests are offered. The primary reason, it would appear, is dissatisfaction with the delivery of basic municipal services especially in informal settlements like Boiketlong, Sonderwater, and areas such as Bervely hills, Zone 6 and Sebokeng. Unemployment (officially at around 23%), high levels of poverty, poor infrastructure, and the lack of houses add to the growing dissatisfaction in poor communities. This protests heightened up towards the recent national and provincial elections. It is also anticipated to heighten up again towards local elections in 2016, with the hope to get attention. According to some protesters, this is a recurring theme with every elections since 1994. A number of other reasons for or causes of the public protests are also provided. These include allegations of perceived corruption and nepotism within the municipality. It is perceived corruption because none of the protesters has officially laid a complaint with any law enforcement agency. Some protesters blame poor service delivery on the deployment of ANC comrades to positions for which they are not qualified. Conclusion Frankly speaking, there are residents who genuinely cannot afford to pay for services. Such residents are always encouraged to register as indigent households with the department of social services so that they can benefit. A number of them (residents) do not do so because they lack necessary documents, such id documents etc, lack of knowledge and plain ignorance. A household qualifies as Indigent if the gross household income is less than R2160.00 per month (i.e. two state pensions). Equally, there are number of workers, professionals, business who deliberately ignore or chose not to pay for municipal services. They are plainly not patriotic to their own government, their own municipality, and their own being. Some are good in paying and religiously paying any other clothing, ds-tv and other entertainment accounts, than municipal basic service account. Others are completely naïve that such accounts exist. Such residents must be pursued and must pay their municipal accounts including their arrears. If they cannot afford to pay, the municipality has introduced incentive policies to accommodate such residents It is my thoroughly considered view that every working person or resident must pay for the municipal services. It is their right to demand services from government through the three spheres of government, and it is their duty to pay for those services. It is a duty of every responsible citizen to pay for the municipal services!! It is the duty of the municipality to provide those quality services to the communities. The ruling party must play the ball first!! Take the baton through councillors and every public leader and spread the message of paying services. It is vitally imperative to educate residents about paying for services. We were boycotting paying rent for political reasons, and now we must pay for own development. We cannot afford protesting now and then for basic services without taking responsibility for making those services happen! This municipality must apply strict credit control. This must start with every municipal employee, any government official, councillors, government departments and agencies, and then every working individual defaulting on municipal account. It cannot be true that we shall owe ourselves (government) but pay every account except services. This is not true!! The municipality needs to be ruthless with business community, especially the big corporations. This should be extended to everyone who has properties within the Emfuleni Local Municipality. Take the responsibility to pay for the municipal debts! Pay your current account now!!!
Posted on: Thu, 31 Jul 2014 17:16:31 +0000
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