Following an article in the Laudium Sun last month (Oct 4 issue) concerning threats by the Tshwane Council to cut the water supply to Bangladesh Heights, and the subsequent increase of ‘special levies’ to pay off the Council as per arrangement, the Laudium Sun met with the Chairperson of the Body Corporate (BC), Mustafa Hasware, to see how we could assist owners of the flats struggling to pay the monthly levies.
The Laudium Sun randomly spoke to a number of residents living in the complex and surprisingly many were unaware of the indigent policies of the Tshwane Council, whereby those households earning R7500 or less per month could qualify for a reduction in charges for water, sewerage, electricity, waste collection and property rates. Residents were excited to learn about this concession and the Laudium Sun, through the BC, undertook to assist them in applying for the electricity and property rates concession as the other charges are the responsibility of the BC to pay.
Pensioners were also told by the Laudium Sun about rebates offered by the Council for lifeline electricity tariffs and for property owners earning less than R7500, a rebate on property tax. The pensioners were also excited and said it was the first time they heard about these subsidies offered by the Tshwane Council. In the meanwhile, a religious organization, the Sayyedina Ally (RA) Institute on Baard Road in Raslouw agreed to assist some of the pensioners who qualified for zakaat (money for those in need). As a start, 8 owners of flats who have been in arrears with their levies, due to financial problems, were each given R7860, which they chose to be paid into their levies account.
Amongst the pensioners that the Laudium Sun spoke to in assisting to register for concessions with the Tshwane Council were: Nazeem Harris (69), Naomi Naidoo (74), Valemall Govender (75), Laline Ibrahim (80) and Loganatha Ramsamy (82).
Nazeem Harris told the Laudium Sun how frustrated he was about the increase in the levies stating “I only earn R2180,00 from the government pension fund. My levy has risen to roughly R4000, which is double what I receive every month, so I can barely budget. Naomi Naidoo also expressed her concerns, “I am paying for the current account and for levies that I still owe, paying off with what I can in small amounts.” Valemall Govender who ensures that she pays the levies although they are beyond her budget, “I end up borrowing money from my children but still need to pay them back because they are married and have their own responsibilities, it’s also so bad now that we can go for two to three days without water, yet we are still expected to pay”.
Laline Ibrahim said.”I can barely get by and my daughter is doing just enough to support the children, whenever it’s toward month end, I am unable to sleep”. Loganatha Ramsamy said, “I do not have enough money to sustain myself, how can I pay more for the levies when I don’t have the extra money to pay.” Naomi Naidoo (74) said, “I am already living on a tight budget, and the increased levy is just adding to my financial stress. I am not sure how I’m going to pay my current balance, let alone pay off my arrears in small amounts.”
The Chairperson, Mustafa said, “On behalf of the Bangladesh Heights Body Corporate and Owners I would like to personally thank the Sayyedina Ally (R.A) foundation for assisting some of our pensioners with their levy accounts and for providing some of the pensioners with assistance at the time when they needed it the most. I pray that the foundation continues to grow and continues
the good work that they are doing to assist the community. I would also like to thank the Laudium Sun for assisting us from the time the problem arose with COT. They have not only given us guidance to assist us to try to have the issue at hand resolved, but also assisted residents to apply for subsidies with the Tshwane Council concerning Municipal charges. I Would like to also thank the community of Laudium and surrounding areas that have donated towards our fund raising of “sponsor R50 towards a pensioner” However we are still very far from reaching our goal and I plead with the community for assistance to help our pensioners who are really battling.”