The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng is deeply concerned that the Covid-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on municipalities as residents are struggling to pay for services provided by municipalities.
This information was revealed to me by the MEC for Finance, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko to my questions tabled in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL).
According to the MEC, between April and May 2020 debtors increased by R2.7 billion. However, Mogale City did not submit any information on its debtors, and it is expected that this total will go up once they have submitted.
The table below indicates the monthly trends of debtors for April and May 2020:
| Municipality | April 2020 | May 2020 | Difference |
| EMM | R15, 858,942 | R16, 212,240 | R353,298 |
| COJ | R29,664,931 | R31, 155, 951 | R1,491,019 |
| TSH | R15,285,694 | R15, 864,516 | R578,821 |
| Emfuleni | R9,121,795 | R9,249,420 | R127,625 |
| Midvaal | R420,183 | R427,694 | R7,510 |
| Lesedi | R938,200 | R938,261 | R61 |
| Sedibeng District | R68, 095 | R70,799 | R2,703 |
| Mogale City | R1,829,729 | R1,829,729 | – |
| Merafong | R2,539,382 | R2601,774 | R62 393 |
| Rand West City | R700,222 | R772,010 | R71,787 |
| West Rand District | R27,797 | R27,965 | R168 |
| TOTAL | R76,454,961,600 | R79,150,356,327 | R2,695,384,727 |
If this trend in revenue loss continues, then municipalities will struggle to render services to its residents.
Some municipalities have already been struggling to provide services because residents have not been paying, however, the Covid-19 pandemic has worsened the situation.
The DA calls on the MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Lebogang Maile to closely monitor how the municipalities used the Covid-19 relief fund to ensure that adequate services are rendered to Gauteng residents in these difficult times.