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The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the City of Tshwane is confident that actions taken by the Executive Mayor Randall Williams to decrease the city's R17 billion debtors book will result in a boost in service delivery.

In the past weeks, Mayor Williams and his team have been on an aggressive campaign to disconnect services to consumers who defaulted on payments.

Services have been cut to various large businesses, government organizations and estates including SARS, Department of Defence, the Sheraton Hotel and the Hatfield Gautrain Station.

The municipality collected over R500 million. A total of 1 061 accounts were disconnected. Of these, 533 were government institutions and 528 businesses. At least 355 clients responded with payments.

A controlled debtors book is the first step in stabilizing the city's finances and restoring investors’ faith. This is crucial to ensure funds are available – not only for basic service delivery like maintenance and repairs of streetlights, grass cutting and pothole filling – but also for capital projects such as upgrading electrical networks and water reticulation systems.

Residents also have a responsibility to pay our municipal bills. An unfair environment is created when some pay and others don't, which in turn affects the city’s ability to deliver quality services.

The DA Tshwane Caucus applauds Mayor Williams and his team for approaching all due accounts as equal and not being intimidated by the profile of large or influential institutions.

The DA looks forward to seeing more decisive action towards stabilizing the City of Tshwane’s finances and thereby creating a fruitful environment for city employees to deliver on their mandate for residents to receive the services they so richly deserve.

Issued by DA Tshwane Caucus Chairperson, Cllr Jacqui Uys