Residents prepare for rates boycott

A GROUP of residents in eThekwini Municipality is gearing up for a rates boycott amid complaints of poor service delivery.

- THAMI MAGUBANE

Community leaders in the Isipingo area have indicated that they could stop paying rates by next month due to collapsed city infrastructure and extremely poor service delivery. They stated that about 22 000 people could be part of this action.

This emerged at a meeting between different sectors of civil society and ANC leaders yesterday, where the ANC was meeting with civil society to hear their concerns. The party has been meeting with different stakeholders as it is pushing to regain its credibility with communities following catastrophic general election results last year.

During the meeting, residents pleaded with the ANC to block the eThekwini Municipality from imposing proposed double digit tariff increases for electricity, water and sanitation in July. They argued that these tariffs are among the highest in the country.

The City recently passed a draft budget detailing its tariffs, which is currently out for public comment. One resident from uMhlanga said the tariffs being imposed by the city were double those of other cities.