City encourages tenants to make rental payments, pay online
03 March 2021
The City of Cape Town’s Public Housing Department encourages tenants of its community residential units to pay their monthly rental and to use one of the City’s alternate payment options to do so. Tenants should also remember that there is help available if tenants are unable to pay. Rental payments are important to ensuring the City’s rental units are maintained. The City has spent approximately R1 billion in maintenance at its public housing units over the past two years.
Due to Covid-19, the City urges tenants to please make use of the convenient online options to make their rental payment and to phone an office ahead of time to make an appointment if they really do need to visit in person. Remember, no mask, no entry at all City facilities.
The City is responsible for the maintenance and upgrading of its rental stock partly with the funds received from rental income. To ensure this is possible, tenants need to pay their rent to ensure a sustainable future for all residents of the City’s rental units. These are home to more than 39 000 tenants and their families and are located across the metro from Atlantis to Strand and Ocean View.
‘The City encourages tenants who are living in its rental accommodation to settle their arrears or to enter into payment arrangements should they be experiencing financial challenges. They are also encouraged to apply for one of the many types of relief, which is available to our residents. Hoping that the problem will go away is not the answer. We understand there are various factors that influence the non-payment of rental, including the inability to pay as a result of the worsening economic climate in South Africa. We empathise with our tenants who are in this position and urge them to make use of the help which is available to them. The City provides assistance to those who qualify through the indigent support and rental housing relief, among others.
‘There are also those who refuse to pay their rental even though they do have the means to pay. Our particular focus remains on those who have the means to pay but simply refuse to do so. We are doing everything to nurture a healthy payment culture, but we acknowledge that it does take time to do so.
‘While the Human Settlements Directorate is making every effort to recover the arrears owing to the City for its rental units, we are looking at other ways to enhance service delivery to our tenants within the constraints being experienced. Our Public Housing Department has spent close to R1 billion in maintenance and upgrades to its Community Residential Units (CRUs) over the past two years.
‘Rental housing is one of the ways the City provides housing opportunities to qualifying beneficiaries. It is clear that everyone has a role to play and tenants must also contribute their share so that the City can ensure that tenants and their families have access to improved living conditions. Every rand counts and we want to thank our tenants who have been paying their rentals or who have entered into affordable payment arrangements and are adhering to them. Their co-operation is appreciated,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Human Settlements, Councillor Malusi Booi.
For account and City-rental payments:
EFTs: Select the City as a bank-listed beneficiary. Use only your nine-digit municipal account number as reference
ATM: contact your bank to add the City as an ATM beneficiary
Retailers: Shoprite, Checkers, USave, Pick n Pay, PEP, Ackermans, Lewis, Top It Up, Woolworths and selected Spar shops
Make an appointment
As a caring City, tenants who are unable to pay, have the opportunity to apply to the City for relief. Those who are struggling to pay are advised to make an appointment to visit their local housing office to enter into a satisfactory arrangement to pay off their arrears. It is then important that the amount due is paid each month to ensure that the relief granted and the arrangement made is not cancelled and to avoid debt management action being taken against them.
A number of transactions can be completed at the offices including:
logging service requests such as maintenance
applying for indigent relief grants
making arrangements for debt repayment on accounts
applying for transfer of tenancy
signing of lease agreements
applying to renew lease agreements
the use of the free call lines in foyers
What to expect when visiting an office:
Covid-19 screening at the entrances
Limited number of customers allowed in at a time, if applicable
Only customers wearing masks will be allowed entry into our offices
Social distancing is required and must be adhered to
Limited daily transactions, please make an appointment
The elderly and disabled will be given preference
Contact us:
Human Settlements Directorate’s Call Centre: 021 444 0333 or send a WhatsApp to 063 299 9927
Our offices are open on weekdays from 08:00 to 15:00. For a list of the City’s housing offices and their contact details, please visit http://bit.do/housingoffices.
End
Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
