Revenue, Valuations and Debt Management
Revenue Enhancement
Revenue and Debt Management
Valuations

Key Performance Areas for the Revenue Unit:

Cashier and Customer Care
Customer care with regard to municipal accounts
Cashier functions at the Main Office
Cashier functions at Traffic Department
Cashier functions at Balele Game/Caravan Park

Prepaid Electricity sales at Caltex Garage and Spar

Debt Management
Debt Collection
Credit Control
Disconnection of Services

Billing & Meter Management
Meter management – electricity
Refuse
Meter readings

Billing & Tariff Management
Policy and reporting
Tariffs and monthly statistics
Indigent

Rates
Assessment rates
Rates Clearances
Property rental and sales
Sundry Debtors

The following processes occur within the Unit on an on-going basis:

• Monthly billing of assessment rates, service levies and consumptions for the entire municipal area and the related processing of approximately 5 000 active accounts
• Processing of Supplementary Valuation Rolls as received from the Valuations service provider to update the valuation roll monthly
• Monthly meter readings of electricity consumptions together with the related meter and account movement management
• Indigent account holders continue to be subsidized on an annual basis and the register is being updated on an annual basis
• Debt Collection includes the tracing of moved customers as well as various legal actions where applicable
• Credit Control actions take place on an ongoing basis, including the electricity disconnection process with regard to arrear accounts
• The provision of a Customer Care service at the Enquiries Counter Main Office
• The issue of Rates Clearance Certificates in order that transfers of properties can be processed at the Deeds Office
• Capacitating and training of existing staff to effect legislative amendments and requirements together with the education of customers regarding the benefits of paying for services
• The provision of the financial support aspect of the property rental and sales function for government assisted housing, land sales and staff housing
• The continued implementation of the Debt Incentive Scheme continues
• Provision of a Sundry Debtors function to the various Departments
• The updating of Policies that are relevant to the Unit
• Reporting to the Council and various government Departments in terms of compliance
• Tariff management and the compilation of the monthly sales statistics.

Indigent Support
In terms of the Credit Control, Debt Collection and Customer Care Policy, the monthly household earnings of an indigent application is capped at R 3,500. The onus lies with the applicant to come forward and register for indigent support in line with the Council approved Indigent Policy. All account holders who qualify for indigent support are encouraged to register accordingly.

Valuations and Assessment Rates

The municipality implemented the new valuation roll compiled in terms of the Property Rates Act, 6 of 2004, on 1 July 2009. All properties under the jurisdiction of the Emadlangeni Municipality are now included in a single valuation roll.

Debt Collection and Credit Control
The Debt Collection, Credit Control and Customer Care Policy is reviewed annually, as are all the other Budget & Treasury Office policies. Debt escalation has been controlled to a certain extent by the implementation of the Council’s existing Debt Collection, Credit Control and Customer Care Policy. Arrear accounts are only handed over to Councils attorneys when the customer defends the legal actions undertaken by the Division.

The debt collection section encourages the debtors to make payment arrangements where possible, but in other instances applies for emolument attachment orders, writs of execution, etc. The electricity supply in the Municipality’s area of supply is terminated on a monthly basis for non-payment of municipal services, whilst water flow regulators are being installed in the other areas where accounts are in arrears due to non-payment.