City encourages tenants to pay bills, apply for relief and make arrangements
26 November 2020
The City of Cape Town’s Public Housing Department encourages its tenants to pay their monthly rental and arrears. If tenants are unable to pay, there is help available. Rental payments are key to ensuring the City’s rental units are maintained. Over the past two years, the City has spent approximately R1 billion in maintenance at its public housing units.
As a landlord, it is the City’s responsibility to maintain and upgrade its rental stock partly with the necessary income received from rental income. To ensure this is possible, tenants are required 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 therefore remains on those who have the means to pay but who simply refuse to do so. An ongoing challenge is the culture of non-payment among debtors. There are often more enjoyable things to buy with one’s money rather than paying rent or for City services used. 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 subsidised rental units, it is 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. One of the strategic shifts required in the housing sphere and recognised by our draft Human Settlements Strategy, which is out for public participation until 30 November 2020, is the necessary mix of rental and ownership to meet affordability demands. 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
Retailers: Shoprite, Checkers, USave, Pick n Pay, PEP, Ackermans, Lewis, Top It Up, Woolworths and selected Spar shops
ATM: contact your bank to add the City as an ATM beneficiary
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.
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 this page.
View and comment on the draft Human Settlements Strategy
Please visit www.capetown.gov.za/haveyoursay. In addition, the executive summary of the strategy will be available in the three official languages recognised by the City at subcouncil offices during the public participation period.
End
Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
