After withholding basic rates and charges for the past five years as part of their dispute with the Makhado Municipality, the Soutpansberg Ratepayers Association (SRPA) received a mandate from their members to pay approximately R5 million over to the municipality.

“There are other avenues to ensure an improvement in service delivery.” This was the assurance given by Ms Inga Gilfillan, chairperson of the Soutpansberg Ratepayers Association, during the SRPA’s annual general meeting on 29 July.

With reference to the SRPA’s decision to pay over the money, the Makhado Municipality had committed themselves to writing off the interest accumulated over the five years on the accounts of the SRPA members. They have also agreed to investigate each individual account to ascertain in which cases the adjustment fees charged had been justified and in which not. According to the outcome of their investigation, the adjustment fees on some accounts might be written off. The process may take about two months, after which the SRPA will receive the correct amount to pay over.

Mr Solly Maano, vice-chairperson of the SRPA, said that paying over the money would indeed be a win-win situation, reiterating the sentiment of a previous speaker, Mr Frans van der Merwe. Van der Merwe also said that the quality of the service delivery had improved and that this was the original intent of the dispute.

Should individual SRPA members decide not to pay their individual accounts over, they would be liable for their own legal costs. In this regard, Mr Phillip Mosina said that it was not beneficial for especially older citizens to have court cases hanging over their heads. The majority of the members at the meeting were more senior.

As stated in the judgement of the Rademan-Moqhaka case and other relevant court cases, the municipality may consolidate different items on the municipal account and the customer cannot specify that the payment is for a certain item. Mr André Prinsloo, outgoing treasurer of the SRPA, said that taxpayers therefore no longer had legal grounds to withhold money.

The SRPA members decided that the association will continue as normal but decrease the commission from 5% to 3%. That would be to keep the office and salaries going, as well as the attorney’s administration fees. The members will still pay their monthly accounts at Van Heerden and Rudolph attorneys. The benefit for the members will be that the SRPA manager will be available to sort out their individual problems and contact the relevant municipal officials on their behalf. That has been a relief for many, especially senior citizens and businessmen, who have difficulty or no time to stand in queues or to be referred from pillar to post.

In her chairperson’s report, Gilfillan mentioned that out of more than 300 letters written to the Makhado Municipality, only 16 written answers had been received.  “The definition of service delivery is not clear enough,” Gilfillan said. She also mentioned a service delivery agreement document that the National Taxpayers Union is working on.

Ms Jana Smith thanked Gilfillan for her hard work as chairperson, the way in which she acquainted herself with the relevant legislation and her heart-and-soul commitment to the town.