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Repealed
This By-law was repealed on 1 July 2019 by Credit Control and Debt Collection.
This is the version of this By-law as it was when it was repealed.
Swartland
South Africa
South Africa
Credit Control and Debt Collection By-law, 2019
- Published in Western Cape Provincial Gazette no. 8116 on 28 June 2019
- Commenced on 1 July 2019
- [Up to date as at 26 February 2021]
- [Repealed by Credit Control and Debt Collection on 1 July 2019]
Preamble
Under section 156 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa,1996 ("the Constitution"), Swartland Municipality enacts as follows-WHEREAS section 95 of the Local Government: Municipal Systems Act 32 of 2000 ("the Act") requires a municipality to:(a) establish a sound customer management system:(b) establish mechanisms for users of services and ratepayers to give feedback to the municipality regarding the quality of services:(c) take reasonable steps to ensure that users of services are informed of the costs involved in service provision, the reasons for the payment of service fees, and the manner in which monies raised from services are utilised by the municipality;(d) take reasonable steps to ensure accurate readings of consumption of services;(e) ensure that persons liable for the payment of services receive regular and accurate accounts that indicate the basis on which such services have been calculated;(t) provide accessible mechanisms by which persons can query and verify accounts and metered consumption, as well as appeal procedures which allow such persons to receive prompt redress for inaccurate accounts;(g) provide accessible mechanisms for dealing with complaints, ensuring prompt replies and corrective action by the municipality;(h) provide mechanisms to monitor the response time in dealing with complaints as set out in (g) above; and(i) provide accessible pay points and other mechanisms for settling accounts or for making prepayments for services;AND WHEREAS section 96 of the Act requires a municipality to:(a) collect all money that is due and payable; and(b) for the above-mentioned purpose must adopt, maintain and implement a credit control and debt collection policy;AND WHEREAS section 97 of the Act requires the debt policy to provide for:(a) credit control procedures and mechanisms;(b) debt collection procedures and mechanisms;(c) indigent debtors;(d) realistic targets;(e) interest on arrears;(t) extended time for payment of accounts;(g) termination and/or restriction of services while payments are in arrears;(h) measures in case of unauthorised consumption of services, theft and damages; and(i) any other matters that may be prescribed by regulation under section 104 of the Act.1. Definition
In this by-law, the English text prevails in the event of any conflict with the Afrikaans text; and, unless the context indicates otherwise:"account" includes levies, surcharges, service charges and availability charges in respect of the following services-(a)electricity supply,(b)water supply,(c)refuse removal,(d)sewerage services,(e)rates,(f)rental,(g)loan instalments(h)interest on an'ears, and(i)any other levies and monies due and payable to the Municipality;and "municipal account" has a corresponding meaning;"Act" means the Local Government: Municipal Systems Act 32 of 2000;"arrears" means any amount due and payable to the Municipality which has not been paid on or before the date of payment;"availability charges" means charges that may be levied against immovable property - whether with or without improvements - that is not connected to any municipal service works, where such property can be reasonably so connected;"consumer"-(a)with effect from I July 2015 and with regard to property zoned for residential purposes, the owner of the property is regarded as the consumer, irrespective of who the tenant or occupier is; provided that, where a lease agreement in respect of such property has existed on I July 2015, the tenant or occupier is to be regarded as the consumer until the agreement has expired; subject to the definitions of "occupier" and "owner" in this section 1;(b)with regard to any other property, the person who receives or uses municipal services or benefits therefrom; and(c)with regard to municipal property that is leased, the person who receives or uses municipal services or benefits therefrom;"consumer services deposit", as regards connection of services, means-(a)a deposit for residential consumer services (water, electricity, refuse removal and sewerage services), except in the case of indigents; or(b)a deposit for residential and business services with a prepaid electricity meter, except in the case of indigents; or(c)a deposit for business services (conventional electricity service);and(d)increased service deposits (related to aITears and nonpayment of accounts), except in the case of indigents; or(e)a deposit for letting a municipal stand pipe;"Council" means the Municipal Council of Swartland Municipality;"debt" means any monies owing to the Municipality in respect of the rendering of municipal services, including monies relating to property rates, housing, motor vehicle registration and licensing, terminated leases and any other outstanding amounts; also, any interest on amounts owed to the Municipality;"default"-(a)if, at the end of the Municipality's financial year, an owner owes the Municipality any amount of money in respect of rates or availability charges; or(b)if, after 31 October of a given year, an owner is in arrears with payment of rates; or(c)if an owner is in arrears for a period of 60 days or more with payments for availability charges, read with the definition of "arrears" in this section 1;"Director: Financial Services" means the municipal official appointed by the Council to administer its finances, regardless of the designation or title attached to the post; the incumbent, and/or any other staff member or official to whom the incumbent has delegated specific duties and responsibilities under this policy, is responsible for the collection of any and all monies owed to the Municipality;"due date" means the final date, as shown on the municipal account statement, on which payment must be made;"financial year" means the period from I July until 30 June of each year;"illegal practises" refers to any practise or trade operated on municipal premises that is in contravention of any national or provincial legislation or any by-laws or regulations of the Municipality;"indigent" means a person or household as contemplated in the Indigent Policy of Swartland Municipality;"Municipality" means Swartland Municipality and includes any delegated official or service provider of the Municipality;"Municipal Manager" means the person appointed in that capacity by the Council under section 55 of the Act read with section 82 of the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act 117 of 1999;"municipal services" has the meaning as defined in section 1 of the Act, and includes a function or a combination of functions listed in schedule 4B and 5B of the Constitution as well as any other service rendered by the Municipality;"occupier" means any person who occupies or has control over any premises;"owner"-(a)as regards property in terms of section 1(a) of the definition of "property": a person in whose name ownership of the property is registerd;(b)as regards a right in terms of section 1(b) of the definition of "property": a person in whose name the right is registered;(c)as regards a land tenure right in terms of section 1(c) of the definition of "property": a person in whose name the right is registered or to whom it was granted by legislation; or(d)as regards public service infrastructure in terms of section 1(d) of the definition of "property": the organ of state which owns or controls the public service infrastructure concerned;provided that, for the purposes of this by-law, the Municipality also regards a person mentioned below as the "owner" of a property in the following cases-(i)a trustee, in the case of a property held in a trust, excluding state trust land;(ii)an executor or administrator of a deceased estate;(iii)a trustee or liquidator of an estate that is insolvent or under liquidation;(iv)a judicial manager of the estate of a person under judicial management;(v)a curator of the estate of a person under curatorship;(vi)a usufructuary or other person in whose name a usufruct or other personal servitude is registered, in the case of a property that is subject to a usufruct or other personal servitude; and(vii)a buyer, in the case of a property that was sold and of which possession was given to the buyer pending registration of ownership in the buyer's name;(e)as regards immovable property of which the Council is unable to determine the identity of the owner: the person who is entitled to the beneficial use thereof;(f)as regards immovable property in respect of which a lease agreement of 30 (thirty) years or longer was concluded: the lessee thereof;(g)in respect of-(i)a portion of land demarcated on a sectional title plan and registered in accordance with the Sectional Titles Act 95 of 1986: the developer or governing body, as far as the joint property is concerned;(ii)a portion of land: the person in whose name that portion is registered in accordance with a title deed, including the lawfully appointed representative of such person;(iii)any person, including but not limited to-(aa)a company registered in accordance with the Companies Act 71 of 2008, a trust inter vivos, a trust mortis causa, a close corporation registered in accordance with the Close Corporations Act 69 of 1984, and a voluntary association;(bb)any government department;(cc)any council or governing body established in accordance with any legislation in force in the Republic of South Africa; and(dd)any embassy or other foreign entity;"person" includes-(a)a natural person;(b)a juristic person;(c)for the purposes of this by-law, any industrial or commercial undertaking; and(d)an organ of state;"(this) policy" means the Credit Control and Debt Collection Policy of the Municipality as reflected in the Schedule to this by-law;"premises" means any portion of land situated within the municipal area of jurisdiction, and the outer boundaries of which are demarcated on-(a)a general plan or diagram registered in accordance with the Land Survey Act 8 of 1997 or the Deeds Registries Act 47 of 1937, as amended; or(b)a sectional title plan registered in accordance with the Sectional Titles Act 95 of 1986;"property means"-(a)immovable property registered in the name of a person, including - in the case of a sectional title scheme - a sectional title unit registered in the name of a person;(b)a right registered against immovable property in the name of a person, excluding a mortgage bond registered against the property;(c)a land tenure right registered in the name of a person or granted to a person by legislation; or(d)public service infrastructure;"standard rate of interest" means a rate of interest equal to the prime rate as determined by the Reserve Bank of South Africa plus a percentage that the Council determines annually during the budgeting process;"this by-law" includes the policy reflected in the Schedule; and"water demand management meter" means a meter designed to manage the water consumption or needs of a residential property.2. Duty to collect debts
All debts owing to the Municipality must be collected in accordance with applicable national and provincial legislation as referenced in this by-law.3. Provision of services
New applications for services and the provision of new services must be dealt with as prescribed in this policy.4. Consumer services deposit
The Municipality requires the payment of a deposit for the provision of services. Any adjustment to the basic deposit will be determined by the debtor's municipal payment record, read with the definition of "consumer services deposit" in section 1.5. Interest charges
The Municipality will charge and recover interest in respect of any arrear debt as prescribed by this policy.6. Municipal staff and councillor arrears
7. Arrangements to pay arrears
8. Agreement with employer
9. Power to restrict or disconnect supply of services
10. Recovery of debt
11. Recovery of costs
Where costs are incurred by or on behalf of the Municipality in order to recover monies owed to it, the Municipal Manager may recover such costs, including but not limited to-(a)costs and administration fees where payments made to the Municipality by negotiable instruments have been dishonoured by banks when presented for payment;(b)legal and administration costs, including attorney-and-c1ient costs and tracing fees incurred in the recovery of debts;(c)restriction, disconnection and reconnection fees, where any service has been restricted or disconnected as a result of noncompliance with this by-law;(d)any losses the Municipality may suffer as a result of tampering with municipal equipment or meters; and(e)any collection commission incurred.12. Attachment
The Municipal Manager may, in order to recover debt, approach a competent court for an order to attach a consumer's movable or immovable property.13. Full and final settlement payments
14. Consolidation of accounts and appropriation of payments
15. Indigent support
The Municipality may grant financial assistance to persons who meet the criteria as laid down in the municipal Indigent Policy.16. Delegation
The Municipal Manager and/or the Director: Financial Services may delegate and/or subdelegate their powers under this by-law to any official or service provider of the Municipality if and when so required and subject to the delegation register.17. Clearance certificates
Upon the sale of any property the Municipality must issue the required clearance certificate as prescribed in the policy, subject to settlement of any and all outstanding municipal accounts.18. Appeal
A person whose rights are affected by a municipal decision regarding one or more delegated and/or subdelegated powers may appeal against that decision by notifying the Municipal Manager in writing of the intention to appeal and the reasons for doing so within 21 (twenty one) days of the date of notification of the decision, as stipulated in section 62 of the Act.19. Offences, penalties and the power of entry and inspection
A person who-(a)under section 101 of the Act, read with section 119(3), obstructs or hinders any municipal councillor or official in the execution of their duties under this by-law or policy;(b)unlawfully uses or interferes with municipal equipment or consumption of services supplied;(c)tampers with any municipal equipment or breaks any seal on a meter or damages a meter;(d)fails to comply with a notice served in terms of this by-law or policy;(e)refuses a municipal official access to any premises; or(f)gives false information regarding the supply of services or an application for assistance as an indigent with the intention to defraud or mislead,will be guilty of an offence and, upon conviction, liable to payment of a fine or imprisonment, imprisonment without the option of a fine, or both a fine and imprisonment as determined by a competent court.20. Repeal of by-laws
The provisions of any municipal by-laws regarding credit control and debt collection are hereby repealed insofar as they relate to matters provided for in this by-law.21. Short title and commencement
This by-law is to be known as the Credit Control and Debt Collection By-law and will come into effect on 1 July 2019.- Entire By-law
- Preamble
- 1. Definition
- 2. Duty to collect debts
- 3. Provision of services
- 4. Consumer services deposit
- 5. Interest charges
- 6. Municipal staff and councillor arrears
- 7. Arrangements to pay arrears
- 8. Agreement with employer
- 9. Power to restrict or disconnect supply of services
- 10. Recovery of debt
- 11. Recovery of costs
- 12. Attachment
- 13. Full and final settlement payments
- 14. Consolidation of accounts and appropriation of payments
- 15. Indigent support
- 16. Delegation
- 17. Clearance certificates
- 18. Appeal
- 19. Offences, penalties and the power of entry and inspection
- 20. Repeal of by-laws
- 21. Short title and commencement
History of this By-law
-
1 July 2019
By-law commences.Repealed by Credit Control and Debt Collection -
28 June 2019 this version
Published in Western Cape Provincial Gazette no. 8116
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