CHANGE IN DUE DATE FOR MUNICIPAL ACCOUNT PAYMENTS
During the Council meeting of 27 November 2024, the Credit Control and Debt Collection Policy was amended and the due date for municipal accounts was changed from the 20th to the 7th of each month (effective from 1 May 2025).
The motivating factor for the decision was the municipality’s Financial year-end requirements where due dates for accounts are to be as close to the month end as possible. A secondary benefit is that most salaried employees receive their remuneration either on the 25th or last working day of the month, which creates the challenge that accounts reach consumers after they received their salaries with a due date before their next remuneration.
The municipality aims to streamline the due date to the above principles to improve the payment success rate. The low-income category of social grant recipients, of which Hessequa Municipality has a substantial number of, receive their funds during the first week of the month but before the 7th of each month.
The municipality will communicate with clients who pay by debit order to ensure that there are sufficient funds available on both 22 April 2025 (20 April is on a weekend) and 7 May 2025 for the settlement of the two separate municipal accounts. Clients who will not have funds available, must cancel the debit order for 07 May 2025 by 30 April 2025 and make manual payments until they have sufficient funds to revert to debit order payments.
During the transition period, the municipality anticipates that there will be a number of households in arrears whereby we will facilitate arrangements for households who ordinarily paid their accounts late after the 20th to bring their accounts to a current status with the new billing cycle.
The different client services offices will be available to assist throughout the period of transition and enquiries can be addressed to info@hessequa.gov.za or contact our municipal offices at:
Riversdale – Tel: (028) 713 8045
Albertinia – Tel: (028) 713 7862
Gouritsmond – Tel: (028) 713 7855
Melkhoutfontein – Tel: (028) 713 7847
Stilbaai – Tel: (028) 713 7836
Witsand – Tel: (028) 713 7868
Slangrivier – Tel: (028) 713 7892
Heidelberg – Tel: (028) 713 7871
VERANDERING IN SPERDATUM VIR MUNISIPALE REKENINGBETALINGS
Tydens die Raadsvergadering van 27 November 2024 is die Kredietbeheer- en Skuldinvorderingsbeleid gewysig en is die sperdatum vir die betaling van munisipale rekeninge vanaf die 20ste na die 7de van elke maand verander (effektief vanaf 1 Mei 2025).
Die motiverende faktor vir hierdie besluit is die munisipaliteit se finansiële jaareinde vereistes waar sperdatums vir die betaling van rekeninge so na as moontlik aan maandeinde moet wees. ‘n Sekondêre voordeel is dat die meeste werknemers hul vergoeding óf op die 25ste óf laaste werksdag van die maand ontvang. Dit skep die uitdaging dat rekeninge verbruikers eers bereik nadat hul salarisse ontvang is. Die sperdatum van die rekening is dan voor hul volgende salaris ontvang word.
Die munisipaliteit poog om die sperdatum volgens bogenoemde beginsels te stroomlyn om die betaling koers te verbeter.
Die lae-inkomste kategorie huishoudings wat maatskaplike toelaes ontvang, waarvan Hessequa Munisipaliteit ‘n aansienlike aantal het, ontvang hul fondse gedurende die eerste week van die maand maar voor die 7de van elke maand.
Die munisipaliteit sal met die kliënte wat per debietorder betaal, kommunikeer om te verseker dat daar voldoende fondse beskikbaar is op beide 22 April 2025 (20 April is op ‘n naweek) en 7 Mei 2025 vir die vereffening van die twee afsonderlike munisipale rekeninge wat uitgestuur sal word. Kliënte wat nie fondse beskikbaar sal hê nie, moet die debietorder vir 07 Mei 2025 teen 30 April 2025 kanselleer en betalings by die kassier punte of deur bankoordrag maak totdat hulle genoeg fondse het om terug te keer na debietorderbetalings.
Gedurende die oorgangstydperk voorsien die munisipaliteit dat daar ‘n aantal huishoudings sal wees wat agterstallig word, en sal ons afbetaalreëlings fasiliteer vir huishoudings wat gewoonlik hul rekeninge laat na die 20ste betaal het.
Die verskillende kliëntediens kantore sal gedurende die oorgangstydperk beskikbaar wees om te help en navrae kan gerig word aan info@hessequa.gov.za of kontak ons munisipale kantore by:
Riversdal – Tel: (028) 713 8045
Albertinia – Tel: (028) 713 7862
Gouritsmond – Tel: (028) 713 7855
Melkhoutfontein – Tel: (028) 713 7847
Stilbaai – Tel: (028) 713 7836
Witsand – Tel: (028) 713 7868
Slangrivier – Tel: (028) 713 7892
Heidelberg – Tel: (028) 713 7871
INCORRECT REFERENCING FEE
A new fee for incorrect referencing to deposits / payments into the municipal bank account was implemented on 01 July 2024.
This fee serves to encourage residents to ensure that they use the correct reference to allocate deposits / payments accurately and timeously.
The fee is R 120.00 (incl. VAT) per incident, per account.
Accountholders must use their municipal account number as reference when paying via any banking platform.
VERKEERDE VERWYSINGSFOOI
‘n Nuwe fooi vir verkeerde verwysing na deposito’s / betalings in die munisipale bankrekening is vanaf 01 Julie 2024 geïmplementeer.
Hierdie fooi dien om inwoners aan te moedig om te verseker dat hulle die korrekte verwysing gebruik om deposito’s / betalings akkuraat en betyds toe te wys.
Die fooi is R 120.00 (BTW ingesluit) per voorval, per rekening.
Rekeninghouers moet hul munisipale rekeningnommer as verwysing, soos aangedui op die faktuur, gebruik wanneer hulle via enige bankplatform betaal.
METER READINGS
Hessequa Local Municipality anticipates taking meter readings from the 25th, monthly.
Residents must provide easy access, including cleaning of meters, for the purpose of obtaining accurate readings.
If reporting incorrect meter readings on accounts, account holders are required to provide a clear photo of the current meter reading.
METERLESINGS
Hessequa Plaaslike Munisipaliteit beoog om maandelikse meterlesings vanaf die 25ste te neem.
Inwoners moet maklike toegang aan die meterleser verskaf om akkurate lesings te verkry. Inwoners is ook verantwoordelik vir die skoonmaak van meters.
Indien verkeerde meterlesings op rekeninge gerapporteer word, word rekeninghouers verplig om ‘n duidelike foto van die huidige meterlesing te verskaf.
DEBT RELIEF FOR HOUSEHOLDS WITH DECEASED ESTATE ACCOUNTS
The municipality has implemented its Credit Control and Debt Collection policy (Credit Control policy) on the municipal accounts registered as deceased estate as they ran into arrears. The Credit Control Policy defines the person who administers the deceased estate’s affairs as the owner and only that person may
- enter into arrangements to pay off arrear debt on behalf of the deceased owner
- apply for Indigent assistance.
- granting of permission to tenants to apply for Indigent assistance.
It has been found that in many instances the estate is not registered and there is no Executor’s letter as issued by the Master of the Court. This is exacerbated due to the fact that no last will or testament is left behind for many of the deceased.
During the recent Indigent application drives, many applicants were rejected as they were living in properties owned by deceased people and no letter of authority could be provided. As a consequence, the municipality is facing a rising debtors book on deceased account holders while occupants are enjoying municipal services without payment. The occupiers who are then indigent are not enjoying the benefits of the indigent assistance and the debtors book increases further with debt that should be recovered from the equitable share grant.
The Council has resolved to assist these households by writing off the arrear debt on these deceased accounts and bring relief to households in our area. Households must apply for the arrear debt write-off of the deceased estate and provide the following:
- The death certificates of the deceased owners (or an affidavit of the details of the death where no death certificate is available); and
- An affidavit of the person living in the house that they have permission to occupy the premises and will be responsible for a tenant account of municipal services on the property going forward.
Applications can be made at the municipal offices in each town from 14 April 2025. For any queries, the office of the Manager: Revenue (Ms Shariefa Daniels) may be contacted at (028) 713 8009 or Shariefa@hessequa.gov.za.
SKULDVERLIGTING VIR HUISHOUDINGS MET UITSTAANDE SKULD OP BESTORWE BOEDELREKENINGE
Met die implementering van die Kredietbeheer en Skuldinvorderings Beleid, hierin verwys as die beleid, het die munisipaliteit bewus geword van uitstaande skulde op bestorwe boedelrekeninge. Die beleid definieer die persoon wat die boedel administreer as eienaar en dat slegs daardie persoon mag het om
- reëlings te tref op agterstallige skuld
- aansoek te doen vir deernishulp
- toestemming te gee vir huurders om aansoek te doen vir deernishulp.
Gedurende hierdie proses het die munisipaliteit bewus geraak dat baie boedels nie geregistreer is nie en gevolglik geen magtigingsbrief uitgereik is deur die Meester van die Hof / verteenwoordiger van die Meester nie. Die probleem word vererger deurdat daar geen testament deur die oorledenes nagelaat is nie.
Gedurende die deernis aansoek proses word baie aansoeke wat deur huurders ingedien word, afgekeur omdat daar geen magtigings brief getoon kan word nie. Gevolglik, is daar ‘n toename in uitstaande skuld op bestorwe boedelrekeninge en dat huurders dienste verkry sonder betaling in plaas daarvan dat skuld ingevorder kan word deur die Billike Aandeelsubsidie.
Die Raad het besluit om verligting te bied aan hierdie huishoudings in die area deur die afskrywing van agterstallige skulde. Geaffekteerde huishoudings mag aansoek doen vir die afskrywing van agterstallige skuld op bestorwe boedelrekeninge en moet die volgende inligting verskaf:
- Die doodsertifikate van die oorlede eienaars (of ‘n beëdigde verklaring met die besonderhede van die dood waar geen doodsertifikaat beskikbaar is nie); en
- ‘n Beëdigde verklaring van die persoon wat die eiendom bewoon wat aandui dat hy/sy toestemming het om die eiendom te bewoon en verantwoordelik is vir ‘n huurdersrekening vir munisipale dienste op die eiendom in die toekoms.
Aansoeke kan vanaf 14 April 2025 by die munisipale kantore van die verskeie dorpe ingedien word. Vir enige navrae kan u die kantoor van die Bestuurder: Inkomste (Me Shariefa Daniels) skakel by 028 713 8009 of e-pos shariefa@hessequa.gov.za.
