PUBLIC NOTICE
Thursday, 13 November 2025
2025/26 DEBT INCENTIVE SCHEME
Polokwane Local Municipality hereby informs all residents, businesses, places of worship and public benefit organisations that Council has approved the implementation of the 2025/26 Debt Incentive Scheme to support customers in settling outstanding municipal debt and to strengthen a culture of responsible payment.
This decision follows Council Resolution CR116/10/25, passed on 29 October 2025.
Through this initiative, the Municipality seeks to:
- ease the financial burden on customers affected by economic pressures
- promote regular payment compliance
- accelerate revenue collection to sustain service delivery
- clean up historic and uncollectable accounts
This relief programme will run for 12 months from the date of Council approval.
Key incentives available
- Good payers incentive – 10% discount for two consecutive months (excluding water and electricity consumption) for accounts paid on time for the past 12 months.
- Illegal connection penalty relief – 100% write-off of billed meter-tampering penalties as a once-off relief, upon
participation. - Estate accounts – 50% debt write-off on late estate accounts upon registration of the new owner/beneficiary at the Deeds Office.
- Prescribed debts – 100% write-off of qualifying prescribed inactive accounts that cannot legally be collected.
- Clearance-under-collection debt – 100% write-off where all legal and recovery efforts have been unsuccessful.
- Settlement discounts (residential, business, institutional customers)
| Settlement Period | Principal Debt Discount | Interest Write-Off |
| Immediate settlement (month of application) | 35% | 100% |
| 2 month instalment (including current account) | 25% | 100% |
| 3 month instalment (including current account) | 15% | 100% |
- Government departments and public entities – 100% interest write-off on successful settlement (case-by-case).
- Black Friday municipal relief Additional – 20% write-off on debt older than 24 months for full settlement between 28 Nov – 19 Dec 2025.
- Places of worship, NPOs and NGOs – 75% write-off of principal debt, 100% write-off of interest on full settlement
Conditions
- Customers may only benefit from one incentive (Black Friday incentive excluded).
- Customers who benefited from debt incentives in the past 3 years and fell into arrears do not qualify, except where relief was due to back-charges.
- Incentives apply only once full qualifying payment is made.
- Applications are subject to verification and audit.
How to apply
Visit any municipal Customer Care Centre to:
- Complete a Debt Incentive Application Form
- Submit required supporting documents (e.g., ID copy, relevant legal documents)
- Receive confirmation and payment calculations before settlement
Internal Audit will review the scheme annually to ensure transparency and fairness.
This programme is a path to financial relief and a fresh start. It is also a call for shared commitment: a municipality that delivers and a community that pays for services responsibly. The municipality urges all eligible customers to seize this opportunity.
END
ISSUED BY POLOKWANE MUNICIPALITY: Communications and Marketing Unit