Johannesburg - The mayor of Johannesburg, Mpho Phalatse, said processes were under way to cut off certain municipal services to the various hospitals in Gauteng.
This is in order to recover more than R200 million owed by the Gauteng Health Department in rates and services.
Phalatse briefed the media early on Wednesday morning, just before an extraordinary sitting of council.
She told the media that the municipality had gone on a vigorous campaign to recover money owed to the city in order to keep the city afloat financially.
The Star understands that at least R43 billion was owed to the city by both residents and businesses.
Phalatse told the media that the city had written letters to the premier of Gauteng, Panyaza Lesufi, to engage him on the matter. She said the city now had no choice but to terminate certain services.
"Gauteng Health Department services are scheduled to be cut off if close to R240m is not paid by Friday," Phalatse said.
She denied that the multiparty government was protecting wealthy areas such as Sandton, but cutting services to indebted poor areas and public institutions such as hospitals.
Meanwhile, she said the city had noticed a culture of non-payment that had been entrenched by the ANC. According to Phalatse, in certain areas people had been told that all government services were free and they did not need to pay for water or electricity.
"The cult of non-payment. Indeed, I did say that there is political play; there are ratepayers who say we were promised free services pre-1994, today some of them are still refusing to pay rates," Phalatse said.
The mayor and the multiparty government were expected to bring to council the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) report, which would ensure that the municipality secures a R2bn loan if approved. The loan would ensure that the municipality is able to meet its financial obligations and pay suppliers.
Phalatse’s press conference came minutes before she faced a motion of no confidence. She had said she was confident that she would remain mayor despite some of her coalition partners not being on the same page.
The Star