The South African Local Government Association says that the debt owed by government departments to municipalities now sits at R3 billion. Earlier in the week, Salga’s KwaZulu-Natal chairperson Thami Ntuli said that they are generally battling to collect what is owed in services because of the prevailing difficult economic conditions in the country. He went on to say that municipalities are now forced to borrow money to cover their shortfall. The other problem this is creating is fuelling the protests by ratepayers associations who feel justified to withhold payments for municipal services. 

Guest: Cllr Thami Ntuli - Salga’s KwaZulu-Natal chairperson

Guest: Assad Gaffar - Civic campaigner and chair of the Westville Ratepayers’ Association

Guest: Tshepo Mahlangu - Tshepo Mahlangu - Chairperson of the Lotus, Atteridgeville, Saulsville Civic Society