Ethekwini Municipality : resumption of credit control and debt collection processes

The City will be resuming with its credit control and debt collection processes effective from 1 July 2020 to ensure that it is in a stable financial position in order to continue to provide essential services to eThekwini residents. This follows the tabling of a report during an online Executive Committee meeting held today, 26 May.

These credit control and debt collection measures include the disconnection of services as well as the levying of interest on arrears with effect from 1 July 2020.

The Municipality will look at each case based on its own merit with the collection process focusing on customers who have not been financially affected by the Covid-19 lockdown to pay for their services. Those customers who are struggling financially and have been affected will each be reviewed on a case by case basis with processes in place to assist them.
The measures in place to assist those who are unable to pay their bills include a deferment of payment for up to six months for customers who meet the criteria as well as the Indigent Policy which assists vulnerable groups and the poorest of the poor.

The tabled report states that in terms of Section 96 of the Municipal Systems Act 32 of 2000 the Municipality is obliged to collect all monies that is due to it.

According to the Credit Control and Debt Collection Policy arrear rates and services may result in disconnection of services.

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