The City recognises the financial burden that some customers face. It has therefore established a Special Debt Relief Programme where customers who have accumulated debt up to January 2025 can benefit by paying 50% of the debt and the City will write off the remaining 50%. It is important to note that any debt incurred after January 2025 must be paid in full and if the applicant cannot afford it, a payment arrangement not exceeding six months, can be made.

The programme benefits residential and business customers. It also includes those that have pursued water loss claims and have not been paid in full. 

The above categories of customers’ debt must be accumulated up to January 2025. 

The customer must pay 50% of the accumulated debt in FULL, in order to qualify for the write-off of the remaining 50%.

Customers may approach their nearest Sizakala Centre for more information. They must take their ID, a copy of their account and speak to a revenue official. If they qualify, they will be given a form to sign and thereafter payment must be made.

Visit your nearest Sizakala Centre for more information. 

As a caring City, the eThekwini Municipality has implemented their Indigent policy which aims to assist struggling residents. 

In 2000, the government announced that it would implement a Free Basic Services (FBS) Policy to ensure a basic level of water, sanitation and electricity to poor households who could not afford to pay for them. FBS has expanded over the years, with various national departments producing sector specific policies and strategies for the implementation of FBS. Some of these national polices and strategies refer to minimum standards, but municipalities are encouraged to provide more than the minimum if fiscally sustainable. With this in mind, the eThekwini Municipality developed the Indigent policy, adopted in the current financial year.

At the tabling of the report to Council earlier this year, eThekwini Mayor Councillor Mxolisi Kaunda said this is a clear demonstration that eThekwini is a caring Municipality. “We welcome this policy and give our full support for it moving forward.” 

The benefits outlined in the policy include free basic electricity supply, 6kl of free water, sewage disposal for water usage below 300 litres per day, free refuse removal, and rates rebates based on property value. The policy also covers indigent support for child-headed households subject to certain conditions, as well as for indigent households in life right schemes and retirement complexes, as well as for deceased estates.

1. General Criteria

An application must be made in the prescribed form;

The applicant must be a South African citizen or be a permanent South African resident;

Reside permanently in the municipal area and be the full-time occupant of the property concerned;

Total household income must not exceed the total household income determined by Council at its annual budget meeting;

The applicant must be registered with the Municipality for services and/or assessment rates;

The property must be used for residential purposes only and must not constitute a piece of land or a flat within a Share block scheme;

The municipal value of the property must not exceed the maximum value as determined by council at its annual budget meeting;

An applicant who resides in an informal settlement may be eligible to qualify for basic municipal services. In such instance, the applicant must meet all the criteria and household income will be assessed on the income of the applicant and all other occupants older than 18 years who reside in the actual dwelling.

Documentary proof must be produced that they cannot pay for basic municipal services or assessment rates, by providing a valid current UIF card, bank statements, proof of income, letter from employer etc. The CFO has the right to call for additional documents in his discretion;

The applicant must not be the registered owner of more than one property within South Africa (registered individually or jointly) or elsewhere;

The applicant must not be an employee in the service of the State;

The applicant must not be engaged in doing business with the State either in a personal capacity or as a director, manager, principal shareholder or stakeholder of a juristic entity (a PBO excluded).

In the case of a RDP house, the occupier must provide proof confirming that it is lawfully occupied;

2. Child-headed households may also qualify for indigent support, as special cases, subject to the following conditions: 

Compliance with the general criteria

The indigent application form is signed and completed by the oldest minor with the assistance of the appointed legal guardian;

The services account of the deceased parents (where applicable) is closed;

Where services are required, the oldest minor signs a services agreement, assisted by the appointed legal guardian;

The property is not occupied by any adult persons other than by the child-headed household;

The status of the child-headed household is reviewed at least on annual basis by a social welfare officer in the employ of the Municipality or the Department of Social Development;

In the case of a property that is registered in the name of deceased parents (either individually or jointly), the estate(s) must be reported to the Master of the High Court within one year of date of approval of the indigent application in order to further participate in the Municipality’s annual indigent programme and proof of the death of both parents must be provided, a valid identity document of the appointed legal guardian is provided; a certified copy of the birth certificate of the minor applicant is provided and, where applicable, a valid identity document. 

3. Indigent Households in Life Rights Schemes and Retirement Complexes 

A customer may be eligible for indigent support in terms of this policy, subject to compliance with the general qualifying criteria, where basic municipal services are charged to them directly. A copy of the title deeds of the property containing an endorsement as contemplated in the Housing Development Schemes for Retired Person’s Act, 1986 (Act No.65 of 1988) must be lodged with an application of indigent support.

4. Deceased Estates

Where the deceased estate of a registered customer is still being finalized, the widow or widower may apply for indigent support, subject to the following conditions: 

The general qualifying criteria are complied with;

Proof of the death of the deceased customer is provided;

Proof of the reporting of the deceased estate to the Master of the High Court is provided, a certified copy of the marriage certificate is provided;

where property is registered in the name of the deceased customer and no legal representative of the deceased estate has been appointed after a period of 24 months calculated from date of approval of the application, the applicant must produce an affidavit explaining any impediments to such appointment and the steps taken to resolve this, in order to qualify for ongoing benefits under the policy

After the death of a registered indigent

The status quo in respect of basic municipal services provided to such indigent under this policy shall remain in place until the end of the municipal financial year for which the basic municipal services were granted.

The criteria in respect of ongoing rates relief, shall be informed by the Rates Policy.

Nothing, however, precludes a deceased spouse from applying for indigent support in their own name during the remainder of the municipal financial year.

Residents can find the policy on www.durban.gov.za