EThekwini Municipality responds to claims of the collapse of its Indigent Support Programme, assuring residents that applications are being processed and improvements are underway
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The eThekwini Municipality has hit back at claims that its Indigent Support Programme has collapsed, assuring vulnerable residents that the system remains fully operational and that all pending applications are being processed.
In a statement, the City sought to refute recent allegations suggesting the safety net for the poor had ground to a halt. The Municipality clarified that the programme exists to "protect residents facing genuine financial hardship by providing low-income and impoverished households access to free basic municipal services."
According to the City, this "basket of services" is a critical provision of the Indigent Policy and includes essential support for water, electricity, refuse removal, and sanitation.
Addressing the recent administrative changes that have drawn public scrutiny, the Municipality noted that the function was recently moved to a new department. "The Municipality wishes to clarify that the recent transition of the Indigent Support Programme function to the Revenue Management Directorate forms part of a broader effort to improve efficiency, accountability, and integration of services," the City said.
While officials acknowledged that the move has not been without its hurdles, they maintained that the change was necessary for long-term improvement. "While this transition has revealed historical backlogs and other related challenges, it has also created an opportunity to address these issues in a structured and sustainable manner," the statement read.
The City confirmed that an internal review is currently underway to assess the full extent of outstanding and incomplete applications. To manage the pressure, the Municipality stated it has begun the "reinforcement of assessment capacity by allocating additional personnel" and is ensuring the "prioritisation of outstanding applications, particularly those affecting vulnerable households."
Regarding the controversial issue of service disconnections for those waiting on subsidies, the City asserted that its policies are guided by both financial sustainability and social responsibility. However, they committed to the "verification and restoration of services for pre-assessed applicants and beneficiaries whose services are disconnected."
The Municipality added that it is working on the "acceleration of plans to digitise records and modernise application tracking systems" to prevent future administrative bottlenecks. "EThekwini Municipality remains committed to providing beneficiaries with access to the Indigent Support Programme, and those with an outstanding application are urged to approach their nearest Sizakala Centre so that their cases can be urgently reviewed and resolved," the City concluded.