Keetmans residents owe municipality millions
The municipality has made a provision of about N$86 million for the 2020/21 financial year to cover interest on overdue accounts.
Suzith Tjitaura
Keetmanshoop residents owe the municipality at least about N$123.2 million in water, rates and taxes.
The public relations officer of the municipality, Dawn Kruger, said the amount owed by the residents includes other levies, but excludes electricity.
Included in the arrears is more than N$34 million in interest charges accumulated on overdue accounts.
Kruger said the council finance department in January 2019 developed and implemented a debt repayment agreement.
“Payment terms of the debt repayment agreement clearly stipulate that the current monthly consumption charges must be paid in full and an additional agreed upon amount to be paid on the arrears over an agreed period of time preferably and depending on the involved amount, within 12 months,” she said.
Willing to pay
“At this point we cannot give an exact amount of people who have signed the agreement, but there are people that have signed and with this Covid-19, our employees are working from home so I cannot get that figure for you now. This initiative has resulted in us collecting more revenue than before,” said Kruger.
Residents are willing to pay their outstanding accounts, but often request that the council consider paying a portion of the interest. As a result, the municipality has made a provision of about N$86 million for the 2020/21 financial year to cover interest on overdue accounts.
“The Keetmanshoop municipal council took the resolution to write off the interest charged on arrears accounts of customers with agreements. Customers must understand that the interest to be paid by council is of those that have signed agreements with the municipality, so residents should come and sign the agreements,” she stressed.
Kruger added that the council will continue to stimulate the collection of revenue rather than being faced with a common scenario where residents are illegally selling water to each other. - Nampa
Keetmanshoop residents owe the municipality at least about N$123.2 million in water, rates and taxes.
The public relations officer of the municipality, Dawn Kruger, said the amount owed by the residents includes other levies, but excludes electricity.
Included in the arrears is more than N$34 million in interest charges accumulated on overdue accounts.
Kruger said the council finance department in January 2019 developed and implemented a debt repayment agreement.
“Payment terms of the debt repayment agreement clearly stipulate that the current monthly consumption charges must be paid in full and an additional agreed upon amount to be paid on the arrears over an agreed period of time preferably and depending on the involved amount, within 12 months,” she said.
Willing to pay
“At this point we cannot give an exact amount of people who have signed the agreement, but there are people that have signed and with this Covid-19, our employees are working from home so I cannot get that figure for you now. This initiative has resulted in us collecting more revenue than before,” said Kruger.
Residents are willing to pay their outstanding accounts, but often request that the council consider paying a portion of the interest. As a result, the municipality has made a provision of about N$86 million for the 2020/21 financial year to cover interest on overdue accounts.
“The Keetmanshoop municipal council took the resolution to write off the interest charged on arrears accounts of customers with agreements. Customers must understand that the interest to be paid by council is of those that have signed agreements with the municipality, so residents should come and sign the agreements,” she stressed.
Kruger added that the council will continue to stimulate the collection of revenue rather than being faced with a common scenario where residents are illegally selling water to each other. - Nampa
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