Pay now or face consequences, warns mayor
Vhembe District Municipality sits on R3.1bn uncollected debt as residents bear the brunt of poor service.
The Vhembe District Municipality in Limpopo is facing a financial crisis as it has amassed R3.168 billion in outstanding payments from various entities, including residents, businesses, and government departments. This is despite the ANC securing more than three-quarters of the vote in the region during the 2024 general elections.
The municipality's debtors' book includes R2.6 billion owed by residential households, R198 million from businesses, R63 million from the Department of Education, and R56 million from local municipalities. The largest outstanding debt is owed to the Department of Water and Sanitation, at R103 million, primarily to Lepelle Northern Water.
The newly appointed executive mayor, Miyelani "Mabanana" Chauke, has warned that debtors must either settle their accounts or face consequences, stating that the municipality will do everything in its power to ensure services are delivered to its people. The DA in Limpopo has also called for urgent government intervention to support the municipality, citing its grant-dependency, unfunded budget, financial distress, and inability to collect revenue from water sales.
Written by urgent.news from The Citizen's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
