Riooltariewe: Munisipaliteit gee terugvoer

Die Oudtshoorn Munisipaliteit het terugvoer gegee oor die riooltariewesaak waaroor Die Hoorn in verledeweek se uitgawe op bladsy twee berig het.

Die volgende mediaverklaring is deur Aurelia Mle, woordvoerder van die Oudtshoorn Munisipaliteit uitgereik.The Municipal Manager’s Office hereby wants to provide the correct information and clarity regarding the Municipality’s current Sewerage Tariff Policy.

Background:
The Greater Oudtshoorn community might be aware that AfriForum NPC brought a court application against the Oudtshoorn Municipality regarding its Sewerage Tariff Policy as it stood on 5 March 2021, almost 3 years ago.

For the benefit of the community, the relevant part of section 74(2) of the Local Government: Municipal Systems Act, No. 32 of 2000 (the ‘MSA’) is quoted:
“(a) users of municipal services should be treated equitably in the application of tariffs
(b) the amount individual users pay for services should generally be in proportion to their use of that service”

The aforementioned sections of the MSA place the emphasis on equitable treatment of users of services and the proportion of use compared to the tariff levied against that user for that service.

In terms of section 28(6) of the Municipal Finance Management Act, No 56 of 2003, a municipality is prohibited from increasing its tariffs during a financial year.

The municipality can confirm that its Sewerage Tariff policy and its billing methodology were amended during the 2022/2023 financial year, which amendments took effect on 01 July 2022.

The Oudtshoorn Municipality holds the view that it is current Sewerage Tariff Policy complies with section 74(2)(b) of MSA.

The policy has also not been challenged by AfriForum or anyone else since its implementation on 1 July 2022.