Pretoria - The South African National Defence Force (SANDF), the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) and shopping mall owners were some of the government departments, state owned entities and companies that were forced to cough up millions in unpaid utility bills to the City of Tshwane on Wednesday.
Tshwane mayor Randall Williams had led a team who were disconnecting water and lights over unpaid property rates, water and electricity bills.
The City of Tshwane is owed R17 billion by residents, government departments, SOEs and private properties who have defaulted on their municipal accounts.
City of Tshwane spokesperson Selby Bokaba said although he could not confirm the total amount paid as of Wednesday during the operation. The Forest Hill Shopping Centre made a payment of R4million on Wednesday.
“This goes to show that there is money but people choose to spend on something else and not pay for services. Unfortunately we also don’t get services for free,” Bokaba said.
Meanwhile, debt-burdened Eskom is leaning on the City of Tshwane to settle its outstanding electricity bill of R635 million, which was due to be paid more than a week ago.
“If Eskom wants money from us, where will we get that money from? Where will the municipality get money to pay Rand Water, where will the money for projects come from, to build roads, maintain infrastructure if people are not paying for those services,” said Bokaba.
Bokaba said this is not a publicity stunt, but its something the municipality intends to do at least quarterly or monthly until they have recovered the R17 billion owed to the City.
Bokaba said the City was owed in excess of R17 billion for services rendered to government departments, embassies, businesses and homeowners.
“Next week Monday and Tuesday we are targeting residential complexes and estates. On Wednesday we are going to residential businesses in townships and going to residential areas in townships.”
He said townships in Pretoria collectively owed R8bn.
Blue Beacon commercial property in Swartkop has SAPS TV as one of its tenants and owes R2.3 million. Some of the notable commercial businesses on the list include the SA State Theatre.
Among them is the Department of Infrastructure Development, which owes R260m in rates and services.
IOL