THERE has been a mixed reaction to the eThekwini Municipality’s decision to reinstate its Special Debt Relief Programme, which offers residents and businesses a 50 percent write-off on arrears.
While some hail it as a victory for struggling residents, others criticise it as inadequate and failing to address root causes of the debt crisis
During a full council meeting last Thursday, a decision was taken to run the programme from November 1 to January 31, 2026, offering a write-off on arrears accrued up to January 31, 2025.
The municipality, in a statement, said customers who are unable to pay their arrears in full may do so through instalment plans, provided the debt was fully settled by January 31, 2026.
Additionally, customers who had…