Mbabane City Council recovers E68m – CEO

MBABANE – The Chief Executive Officer of the Municipal Council of Mbabane, Gciniwe Fakudze, has revealed that the local government has recovered over E67 million in arrear rates.

Speaking during the annual general meeting yesterday, Fakudze said such incredible performance strengthened cash flow and supported municipal operations.

According to the report presented to the meeting, the arrears recovery comprised over E54 million from government and over E13 million from private ratepayers.

It was reported that the council recorded 490 payment arrangements with 99 per cent compliance and E19.8 million was covered by approved payment arrangements. A total of 33 disputed accounts were resolved, involving E233 000. The Mbabane City Council also sent over 56 000 SMS reminders, maintained 4 612 e-statement accounts and resolved 519 enquiries.

The report states that arrears receipts supported cash flow, while high arrangement compliance indicated strong adherence to payment plans. That combination—no municipal debt and rising collections—presents a stable financial picture despite pressures on local government budgets.

Fakudze’s report also showed broader finance activity: 11 competitive tenders worth E54 million, 3 690 quotations processed for over E73 million, and 894 invoices paid during the year. These figures point to active procurement and payment systems supporting service delivery.

The arrears recovery is notable because it was achieved through a mix of enforcement, communication and dispute resolution. The 490 arrangements show willingness by ratepayers to settle debts, while the 99 per cent compliance rate suggests the city’s credit control and customer engagement are working. The 33 resolved disputes also indicate that the municipality is addressing account queries rather than allowing them to fester.

The finance results align with the city’s stated financial viability goals: enhancing revenue collection and management, reducing over-reliance on rates to less than 70 per cent of the budget by 2029, increasing rates collection by 3 per cent year on year by 2029 and using user fees and charges bye-laws.

The council also plans to attract investment and drive economic growth through public-private partnerships, investment facilitation and inner-city revitalisation.

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