The City of Tshwane’s confrontational revenue collection campaign, known as #TshwaneYaTima, has backfired on the municipality after two national departments in Pretoria disputed the Metro's assertion that their power supply was cut off last week due to unpaid municipal bills.
This comes after two members of the mayoral committee (MMC), Obakeng Ramabodu and Tshegofatso Mashabela had embarked on a campaign, targeting national departments with outstanding municipal accounts totaling millions of rands.
The campaign is part of the City's efforts to recover at least R30 billion in unpaid bills owed by defaulting customers.
The Department of Social Development (DSD) was among the departments called out by Health MMC Mashabela, for owing the City R1.2 million in unpaid bills.
In a video posted on X, Mashabela is seen standing outside the department, saying: “We were here to switch off and we will only be able to switch on once the money reflects in our account. (With) such departments we don’t negotiate. We want the full amount to be paid to the City.”
Ramabodu, the MMC for Environmental and Agriculture Management, who accompanied Mashabela, made it clear that there are more departments in line to face disconnections.
“They are the first as the national government, when we are not doing well financially, to have comments about the municipality,” he said.
Linda Page, spokesperson for the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, fired back at the City on Sunday, denying allegations that the department owed R1.2m in unpaid municipal bills.
She said that the department's power supply was never disconnected, contradicting the City's claims.
“The department does not owe Tshwane and was not in arrears. The problem is the inefficiencies in their systems in allocating payments to relevant buildings. We have invoices as proof,” she said.
Bathembu Futshane, spokesperson for the DSD, denied claims that the department's offices were disconnected from the power grid.
He clarified that, as a tenant, the DSD is not responsible for all municipal rates and related matters.
“Please forward to the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC). They are the landlord and are the ones responsible for all municipal rates related matters at the building. DSD is a tenant. I can however confirm that the power was not disconnected as has been reported,” he said.
HSRC spokesperson, Dr Lucky Ditaunyane, confirmed that there was never a disconnection at the building.
“The HSRC is aware of the situation. The DSD is our tenant. In terms of the arrangement we have with the DSD, they are supposed to pay 54% of the electricity bill,” he said.
He said in terms of what transpired, HSRC was required to pay R700,000 towards its municipal account.
“The Tshwane Municipality said we still have the R2.1m that we still have to settle, which was paid on Thursday. After it was paid, the understanding was that the DSD will have to reimburse us 54% of that amount from their side,” Ditaunyane said.
Denel, a South African state-owned defence and technology company, has been identified as another debtor, allegedly owing R13m in municipal bills to the City.
According to MMCs, Ramabodu and Mashabela, the City has deactivated Denel's services until the outstanding amount is settled. Efforts to reach Denel for comment were unsuccessful as calls to the company went unanswered.
Municipal spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said: “We would have to get in the system to respond to some of your questions. For now, we are not sure if the said departments have made payments over the weekend and are not yet allocated.”
He said the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure “has notified the city that a payment of R68,982,510,26 will be made on behalf of various departments and again we are unable to confirm today if this payment was made until all payments made on Friday have been received and allocated”.
Mashigo said: “Denel is still disconnected from the grid. Denel has promised to pay. However, we are unable to confirm today if payment was made until the allocation of all payments that were made on Friday has been received and allocated.”