Pretoria - Gauteng Economic Development, Environment, Agriculture and Rural Development MEC Lebogang Maile on Monday convened a meeting with Tembisa shopkeepers to discuss municipal rates.
The meeting was held after local shopkeepers raised concerns about municipal services and billing as obstacles to running profitable enterprises in townships.
“During our township economy revitalisation roadshows, municipal rates and service charges were identified as contentious issues by township entrepreneurs. This was raised in almost all the roadshows that we convened which clearly means that it is a pervasive issue that affects businesses across different townships,” said MEC Maile.
He had assured the local shopkeepers that he would take the matter up with municipalities in Gauteng.
“We will be engaging municipalities on this problem. We want to encourage township businesses to operate within the law and pay municipal rates and service charges.
“At the same time, it is important that special consideration be made when dealing with township businesses as these have unique needs and challenges,” he said.
In the meantime, affected business people in Tembisa will convene on Friday at the Tembisa Council Chamber where municipal officials will scrutinise their accounts to determine arrears and ponder possible solutions for the debts incurred.
The consultations and ongoing interventions to resolve specific issues facing township businesses are part of Gauteng government’s implementation of the Township Economy Revitalisation Strategy, which highlighted the cost of doing business and access to economic infrastructure like water and electricity amongst the biggest challenges facing township businesses. – SAnews.gov.za
