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Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Correspondent
BUBI Rural District Council (BRDC) has engaged debt collectors in a bid to recover more than $500 000 owed by ratepayers.

The local authority’s chief executive officer, Mr Partson Mlilo, said the BRDC was forced to engage debt collectors as residents were reluctant to meet their obligations.

“We are being owed $540 481 and from that $170 851 is owed by residents living in the low density suburbs while $342 630 is owed by residents in the high density suburbs. The debt dates back to June 2013 when Government directed that we write off people’s debts,” said Mr Mlilo.

He said the local authority owes $300 000 to other service providers.

“We’re being taken to court by our creditors who want their monies so likewise we also have to demand our dues as well. We tendered for the debt collectors in 2012 and we have been using them ever since. Residents might not have had any experience with them because we had been using them on businesses, mines and other companies,” Mr Mlilo said.

He said the local authority can effectively deliver services if residents pay their dues.

“The council is not separate from them. It is the organisation that must provide services to them and services are not free. Most of the things that council does for residents require rate payers to pay user fees. If they want to have roads that are properly maintained, they should pay their rates,” Mr Mlilo said.

The CEO said residents who are having challenges in paying their bills should make payment plans instead of waiting for council to take action against them.

Mr Mlilo said before engaging debt collectors, the local authority met residents to discuss the way forward but nothing fruitful came out.

He said a few individuals eyeing political positions are misleading residents by encouraging them not to pay their bills.

“They want to propel themselves into political offices using a wrong thing. What I want to say to those who want to be leaders is that they should tell the people the truth: services are never free. Instead, they should be encouraging people to pay their bills and make service delivery demands and see whether council will not deliver,” Mr Mlilo said.

@nqotshili