eThekwini residents demand 100% debt amnesty amid massive utility bills

RESIDENTS of eThekwini facing utility bills of up to R720 000 believe the municipality's Special Debt Relief Programme offering 50% write-offs was inadequate.

With bills accumulating due to alleged municipal errors, affected residents are calling for a complete amnesty to give them a fresh financial start.

A 48-year-old man from Phoenix, who declined to be named, said his current municipal bill, which included electricity, water, sanitation and rates, was about R720 000. 

He lives with his wife and their two children. 

The man said the arrears had accumulated after he received an incorrect bill about seven years ago. 

“I went from receiving an average of a R4 000 bill every month to one which was almost a R100 000. The amount was too high and made no sense. I kept going back and forth to the municipal office to find out why, and to date I still do not have an answer. From then, the bill has just increased every month.

“I try to make payments of between R1 500 and R2 000 every month, even though it is not my fault. But it feels as if I am not paying anything as the debt does not go down,” he said. 

The man who is a small business owner, said he earned about R30 000 a month. 

“By the time I pay for rent, school fees, petrol, and my business costs, I have not much money left. This bill has ruined my life. The 50 percent write-off means nothing to me. Even if they take away half, I still can’t pay the balance. I did not make this problem, the municipality did. Their system failed us.

“We need a 100% write-off. They should allow us to start clean so we can pay our bills going forward. I am not running away from paying, I just want a fair start,” he said. 

A 42-year-old man from Shallcross said he had a bill of about R105 000. 

“For the past two years I have been trying to find out why my water bill was R50 000 for one month. I used to pay about R1 000 every month. I currently receive a disability grant, which barely covers my utility bills and food costs.

“While they have offered this 50 percent amnesty, which could help some people, there are many, like myself who will not be able to pay the other half as per the terms. I wish the municipality would give us a 100 percent amnesty, which will really be a big help for me and a lot of underprivileged families so we can have a fresh start. Sadly, the municipality does not care about the poor. It is only during voting time they come to us and then we are forgotten,” he said.

A 52 year old Queensburgh woman, said she would not be able to pay the remaining 50 percent due within the specified time frame. 

She currently has a bill of about R210 000. 

“My bill is very high, but it is not my fault. I received a bill of about R90 000 due a problem with the municipality’s bill system about two years ago. I was told it would be corrected, but nothing was done. 

“I currently work as a sales representative, with a very low basic salary, and both my parents collect their pensioner’s grant. Even if we had to put all of the money together we still wouldn’t be able to pay off the remaining 50 percent of the arrears. Right now, we are just able to pay a little towards the monthly utility bill and buy food. Life is very hard.

“I feel this is the worst run municipality. All of the political parties that supported this 50 percent debt write-off should be ashamed of themselves. We will remember them next year when they want our vote. We need a 100% write off so that poor people like me can have a fresh start and try to pay our new bills,” she said. 

THE POST