LETTER │ Municipality extorting money from us with increased tariffs
“Metro going after rich account defaulters” (July 23): what a fancy move for mayor Athol Trollip and his band to make.
It is nothing different to expropriation without compensation. This is the same as the ANC and EFF are advocating, or to quote Trollip: take from the haves and give to the have nots.
The governing party of this metro is the cause of this debtors’ book.
What has happened preceding the rise of the debtors book in the last few months?
The unaffordable increases of tariffs is the main reason.
To mention an example of a guy who has “about” six properties and he is in arrears by R800,000 proves just how incompetent you are.
There can be no collection strategy to justify that amount.
Your example is a thumbsuck. How long did it take to get in arrears by R800,000 from “about” six properties?
Your strategy to create sources of income is very evident in your approach of selling off residents’ assets.
An example is your notices to property owners of derelict buildings which would be demolished and expropriated (“Problem buildings list grows”, July 16).
Alternatively, spend money on these buildings so that we can increase the rates.
Why not do first things first, and start with the review and appeals on rates increases from the 2017-18 financial year?
We are already into a new financial year and increases are calculated on those overinflated valuations.
Doing this alone will bring down your debtors’ book.
Why does businesses need to pay more for their electricity? Why isn’t there just a unit price?
Shouldn’t the metro regard this as assistance to attract new businesses and thereby more job creation, which would alternatively bring more capital into circulation and more users of municipal services?
On this point of electricity, I would like to remind the residents of this metro how the unit price was increased during the time of load-shedding to force the residents to use less electricity, same as with our current water shortage.
There is no longer a shortage of electricity, but yet we are still paying the penalty for the usage of too much electricity.
When you drive through the metro and you see all the water leaks, you regard it as your responsibility to report them, but just find the 080020-5050 number is not operational.
Then you know you are dealing with a bunch of talkers and not doers.
I think that there are many residents who can’t wait for the next municipal elections to see the backsides of this coalition.
E L Ferreira Port Elizabeth