City extends debt-relief scheme deadline to May 31

AS PART of recovering a whopping R25.69 billion in unpaid municipal debt, the City of Tshwane has extended the deadline for its debt-relief scheme to May 31.

- RAPULA MOATSHE

This comes after the municipality made inroads in terms of reducing its debtors’ book from almost R30bn to R25.69bn since implementing the debt relief programme in February.

A council-approved report in February offers residents struggling with municipal debt a chance to have up to R20 000 of such debt cancelled should they take advantage of a debt-relief programme meant to assist them to bring their municipal accounts up to date.

Deputy Executive Mayor and MMC for Finance, Ofentse Madzebatela, said the decision to extend the initial March 31 deadline to May 31 was made during a mayoral committee sitting on Thursday in response to requests from residents and businesses seeking more time to take advantage of the offer.