Mamelodi hits back at relief scheme: ‘Scrap debt for all, or none!'
Tshwane metro recently announced that they have written off more than R4.4-billion of debt to 20 000 amnesty applications from residents who tampered with their electricity meters.
This initiative, championed by Deputy Mayor and MMC for Finance, Eugene Modise, was designed to ease the financial burden of municipal debt.
However, Mamelodi residents are still complaining that despite applying for amnesty, they have not had any feedback from the council, and some residents are still receiving final letters of demand.
President of Mamelodi Concerned Residents for Service Delivery, Oupa Mtshweni, said more and more people are still coming to his office complaining about receiving final letters of demand, despite applying for amnesty.
'Debt must be scrapped for all people of Mamelodi because the problem stems from the incorrect, estimated billing system, which affected most and not only those the metro regards as indigents,' he insisted.
He said he had pleaded with the deputy mayor during his visit to Mamelodi to deal with illegal connections at informal settlements before helping the residents of Mamelodi.
'We cannot pay for municipal services while illegal squatter camps around Mamelodi get the services for free,' said Mtshweni.
He added that when Tshwane is done with the informal settlements, it should come back and discuss the scrapping of debt for all residents of Mamelodi.
'When these estimations started, it affected everyone in Mamelodi – therefore scrap all municipal bills for all residents and we all start afresh from zero,' said Mtshweni.
He said that they are still waiting for the metro to remove all illegal connections in informal settlements around Mamelodi.
Metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said the city's Finance Department has submitted applications for amnesty to its Electricity Department, but they have not received the exact figures for Mamelodi or per region.
Mashigo said these will be available once job cards are assigned and the meters are attended to. He added that a total of 20 056 applications from across the city have been received.
'The number might rise slightly as counting wraps up. For the incentive and debt relief scheme, we received 1 033 applications, with a total debt of more than R147-million.'
He added that the metro reported a late rush in submissions. 'More than 50% of the applications were received in the last week before closing.'
All applications received under the debt relief scheme have been approved, with some receiving a partial write-off after agreeing to a payment agreement.
With regard to the electricity amnesty process, which targeted illegal meter tampering, the metro said it had already captured 17 140 of the 20 056 forms. A total of 10 741 were issued to the electricity department, but only 300 had been normalised so far.
'The process is ongoing until all legible [applications] have been normalised.'
Mashigo said that while the debt relief approvals are nearly finished, the amnesty programme is still in progress.
'The total value of municipal debt written off through the combination of indigent relief, inactive accounts, and incentive schemes stands at a staggering R4.4-billion.'
He said the incentive and debt relief scheme helped write off R66.4-million in debt owed by 918 residential accounts and 66 businesses, who together owed R147.4-million. Of this, R81-million was either collected or payment arrangements were made.
'The scheme is not a simple debt write-off arrangement. The metro incentivised customers to settle a portion of their municipal accounts or enter into a settlement arrangement to benefit from a write-off of a portion of the debt.'
Although the amnesty campaign focused mainly on electricity, the incentive scheme covered all services, including water, refuse, and sanitation.
Mashigo said on the indigent relief side, about R2.4-million was written off from 85 361 indigent accounts, an intervention aimed at aiding the poorest residents.
The metro plans to review the effectiveness of the campaign, and the outcome of that review will inform the next course of action.
Mashigo said Tshwane's credit control and debt collection policy remains the central guide to future financial strategy, and that this policy includes ongoing measures, such as disconnections and prepaid blocking.
He closed by saying, 'The metro's revenue recovery has been enhanced by the R81-million recovered or committed to through arrangements.'
Do you have more information about the story?
Please send us an email to [email protected] or phone us on 083 625 4114.
For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East
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At the meeting, and in subsequent email correspondence, the neighbouring Fairview community clearly has some major issues to deal with, in the form of the noise and dust disturbance by the heavy vehicles transporting the lithium extract, seemingly at all hours of the day (not just Monday to Friday 08.00-17.00), as well as the impact of the detonations on their homes. 'Ian Harebottle from SA Lithium stated that there had been extensive consultation with the community but this was strongly disputed by those from the community present at the meeting. This issue cannot be swept aside, as a mere technicality, especially given the fact that SA Lithium does not have a website to share information with the public on a regular basis.' River water pollution and extraction fears His association was also concerned about the potential impact on the Umzumbe River and estuary from pollution or the extraction of river water for mining operations. According to Cliff, Harebottle told the meeting that Ugu municipality water was too expensive to be used by the mine and that borehole volumes were limited, so most of the water would come from the river. 'This may be acceptable when there is lots of rain, but in times of drought I fear the mine will not reduce its uptake and the ecological viability of the estuary will suffer greatly.' Cliff also raised concern about apparent discrepancies between the mine water use figures supplied by Harebottle at the public meeting (initially 5m3 daily, rising to 15m3 daily) and the volumes provided in the company's water use licence application (around 1,000m3 per day). Traffic impact reaction In response to the concerns of objectors, the Ray Nkonyeni Municipality has stated that a traffic impact study had recommended that the mining company should build new 'internal service roads' to accommodate additional heavy vehicle traffic and that it should also spray roads with water to reduce dust levels. The municipality's law enforcement superintendent further stated that 'everything is under control' and there was no objection to the mine from a traffic perspective. Regarding criticism of the public consultation process, the municipality said: 'Due to the overwhelming amount of objections received during public participation, a public hearing was held on 5 July 2024 with all the interested parties where an engagement with (Harebottle) was conducted.' It further said that: 'The application was duly advertised (South Coast Herald on 24 May 2024) and copies of notices forwarded to adjacent landowners, and persons who may in the opinion of the Municipality have an interest in the application, as prescribed by the Ray Nkonyeni Municipal Planning and Land Use Management Bylaw.' Regarding concerns about water use and potential pollution, the municipality said it had been assured by the mining company that 'No harmful chemicals will be used, no slimes dams will be created and no potable water will be required, with maximum reticulation and minimal water losses.' *** SA Lithium responds SA Lithium spokesperson Ian Harebottle has rejected suggestions that the company took any 'short cuts' or acted illegally in developing the mine. 'All key departments were kept fully updated and informed throughout the extremely long and arduous (approval) process.' Asked to explain why the company began to develop the mine before a water use licence application (Wula) and the municipal rezoning were approved, he said: 'While some duplicity (sic) exists between government departments – in this instance Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources, the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development and local municipalities) who were engaged simultaneously, absolutely no short cuts were taken.' (However, during the rezoning application, Plankonsult's Thys Blom acknowledged that mine development began before the rezoning approval, stating that: 'The applicant (SA Lithium) was under the impression that obtaining environmental authorisation and issuing of a mining licence provided sufficient authorisation for commencement of the mining operation. As soon as the applicant became aware that authorisation for rezoning of the land was also required, it appointed Plankonsult to prepare and lodge the appropriate application.' Blom further argued that water use licence application approval was not required for a rezoning application.) Asked to confirm the date on which the water licence was issued, Harebottle said: 'A Wula for the project was accepted in 2024 and an approved Water Use Licence was subsequently granted, remains valid and is fully complied with.' Asked to confirm the date when mining commenced at Highbury, Harebottle said: 'Project development under the terms of the prospecting right commenced mid-2023. Development completion and commencement of operations is targeted for end 2025.' Asked how many tons of lithium ore had been extracted at Highbury so far, Harebottle did not provide any figures, stating: 'Project development has allowed low grade spodumene ore to be extracted. A processing plant is still under construction.' On how neighbouring communities might benefit from lithium mining at Highbury, he said: 'Unemployment in the region of the project was estimated at 50%. The project has created more than 800 direct and indirect jobs. There are no known job losses in any sectors. Local businesses, including; transport, logistics, civil engineering, building, catering, hospitality and tourist services report increased activity. Preference is given to local contractors for all project services. Direct and indirect training and employment of community members is always prioritised.' Asked whether some residents had been advised that they had to move out, he said: 'Under no circumstances have any households been '… notified this week that they will shortly be required to move out of their homes …' and no community land or resources has been or will be 'lost'.' On why some residents had to vacate their homes during blasting, he said 'Standard practice and national guidelines require evacuation of certain neighboring communities during blasting for safety purposes. Evacuations are occasional and usually last for no more than one hour. Timing is usually decided in consultation with our neighbours who then receive proper notifications in advance of blasting, and they are appropriately compensated for any inconvenience. Affected neighbours have always been both supportive and cooperative. 'The project team maintains excellent relations with all adjoining communities and their elected leaders. Formal and informal interactions across all spectrums of the community are attended regularly.' Asked whether SA Lithium had a financial relationship with the Atlas Lithium Corporation in the United States, he said: 'There is no relationship.' On Cliff's concerns around the volumes of water required by the mine, Blom told the Ray Nkonyeni municipality that the volumes applied for in the water use licence application referred to maximum volumes, rather the actual volume likely to be used. He said SA Lithium hoped to minimise river water abstraction and the company was now 'reasonably confident that its targeted volumes provided during the meeting will be correct'. Commenting on the impacts of blasting on neighbouring residents, Blom said the company was required by national guidelines to take responsibility for any potential damage to homes within a 500m blast radius. Two local contractors had been employed to repair any damage within this zone. Regarding potential pollution from the mine, Blom said that no harmful chemicals were used in the lithium separation process at Highbury. DM
