[WATCH]: Tshwane Debt Collection: The Paid and the Unpaid

The City of Tshwane has been ruthless in its debt collecting mission, however, they have been straightforward about it. Those that have paid their debt are reconnected, while those that don’t remain cut off from the City of Tshwane’s services. It’s as simple as that.

The Executive Mayor Joins Disconnection Teams

The Tshwane Executive Mayor, Randall Williams, has been joining teams this week to aid in the cutting of services. He has played an integral role in negotiating, or better yet, putting it straight to any of the establishments who have disputed the disconnection on the spot and tried to stop the teams from disconnecting them.  

Cutting Without Prejudice

The city has had no favourites during the collections. And have even gone as far as to cut off major enterprises such as the SARS and PRASA buildings. Unfortunately, in some cases, the disconnected buildings are leased to the companies suffering the disconnection and it is the landlords that need to pay up. For instance the SARS and SAPS headquarters buildings.

Here is a list of some of the most noteworthy companies that they have disconnected so far and what they owed.

• PRASA, owing R28 million
• UNISA, paid on time to avoid disconnection
• A New Capital Hotel, owing R1.4 million. Plus, officials found they had illegally connected to the City’s water supply and are adding a R621 000 penalty to the hotel’s debt.
• Gautrain Hatfield, R10 million in arrears.
• Department of Community Safety (GP), owing R409 000
• ENGEN in Nana Sita, R1.2 million in arrears
• Traffic Safety building, owing R2.7 million
• The Christian Revival Church (the amount owing has not been specified)
• Muckleneuk Lanterns in Sunny Side, R1.2 million in arrears.
• Bloed Mall, owing R1.2 million
• North West Star, owing R6.4 million
• Sinoville Shopping Centre, R16 million in arrears
• The Independent Development Trust (IDT), owe R8 million
• SARS building (Amount not specified)
• SAPS Head Quarters. The landlord (Mendo Properties) owe R5.1 million

Furthermore, as of this week, the city of Tshwane has also been disconnecting Residential Estates in debt. However, have not publicly mentioned which for reasons of security. The city asks, “Please ensure that your body corporate is using your levies wisely before you find yourself in the dark.”

Paid Accounts are Promptly Reconnected

Many of the huge businesses that were cut off from the City of Tshwane’s services, or threatened to be cut off, have paid their debt. They then either avoided disconnection completely, such as UNISA, or were promptly reconnected. What’s more, the city has been reasonable with payment amounts. For example, the IDT only managed to pay R4.3 million of their R8 million debt and still avoided disconnection.

“If you come to us, we will not switch you off.”

The City of Tshwane

Here are some of those that paid their bills. 

• PRASA, luckily for commuters, paid within days of their disconnection.
• Gautrain Hatfield paid the R10 million owing plus another R2 million as forward payment. This was after threatening to take the City of Tshwane to court for the disconnection.
• SAPS HQ landlord, Mendo Properties, paid its debt in full.
• Bloed Mall has paid.
• The Independent Development Trust, paid just over half of their R8 million debt