Cash-strapped residents and businesses at three Gauteng municipalities are being thrown a lifeline through debt relief programmes aimed at easing the burden of unpaid municipal bills.
In Emfuleni, finance MEC Hassan Mako said the municipality is now offering an incentive that could see qualifying customers receive relief on up to 50 of their outstanding balances as of March 31.
Mako said the debt must be older than 90 days and that the municipality was looking to this programme to assist with their debt to entities like Rand Water and Eskom.