An upcoming Cape Town-based forum aims to tackle the increasing inability of municipalities across the continent to deliver basic services, such as the supply of water and electricity and the maintenance of road infrastructure, as a result of inefficient revenue collection systems.

The Syntell Sustainability Forum 2014 would look to aid the typical African municipality in challenging the status quo by providing a platform through which municipalities, utilities and road traffic authorities from across the continent could confront the challenges of municipal revenue collection, management and accountability.

The event, which would run from August 18 to 20, would also showcase the latest technologies and best practices for effective revenue management with a view to improving service delivery.

The forum organisers said in a statement that, at the end of January, the Westonaria local municipality, in South Africa, was owed some $18-million by businesses, communities and government entities – a figure that would “severely” impact its ability to deliver basic services.

“Westonaria is not alone in this regard. In Zimbabwe, the Kwekwe city council, which is saddled with a $12-million debt, faces a total service delivery shutdown, as heavy industries based in the city continue to default on rate payments,” it noted.