Rates relief for Kouga residents

Kouga municipality residents have until June 30 to apply for municipal rates relief.

This, after the council approved a payment holiday on ratepayers whose accounts  were in arrears. 

In a statement on Tuesday, Kouga mayor Horatio Hendricks said the council, which sat on May 28, approved a few relief measures to assist residents and businesses whose income had been negatively affected by the nationwide lockdown.

The lockdown, imposed by President Cyril Ramaphosa, came into effect on March 27 to slow down the spread of Covid-19.

“Many businesses were unable to operate during the initial stages of the lockdown and suffered serious financial losses.

“Many residents were also unable to work and lost their income.

“The municipality was not spared, with the collection rate dropping by 19% in April.

“This had to be taken into account by council in approving the final payment relief options for residents and businesses,” Hendricks said.

Before the lockdown, Kouga’s collection rate ranged between 96% and 98%; in April it dropped to 77%, and  in May it increased to 89%. 

Hendricks said some of the relief measures approved by the council would automatically be applied to all municipal accounts.

He said additional relief measures would be applied depending on need.

A reprieve on interest charged on overdue accounts from the start of the lockdown to  June 30 would be put in place automatically for all ratepayers.

“All debt collection measures have also been stopped for this period.

“Blocked electricity meters were unblocked in March and no money has since been taken off prepaid purchases for overdue accounts.

“This reprieve will remain in place until the end of this month,” he said.

Hendricks said from July 1, money would once again be taken off prepaid purchases for overdue accounts.

He said relief measures subject to application, included a retrospective payment holiday for the months of April to June.

“Residents and businesses will also be able to apply for reprieve from interest on their outstanding accounts up to  December 31.

“They will further be able to make three to six-month payment arrangements with the municipality.”

Household whose combined income had dropped to below R3,720 due to the lockdown would be able to apply for indigent service subsidies.

These would be placed on a Covid-19 indigent register for temporary relief and all households that qualified, would receive free basic services until the end of the year.

Hendricks said applications were available on the Kouga municipal website.