MOSSEL BAY NEWS - It was announced this morning during a press conference held in Mossel Bay that the Governance ratings agency, Ratings Afrika has just announced the results of its Municipal Financial Sustainability Index (MFSI™) for the Western Cape municipalities.
The latest results are for the fiscal year ended June 2019.
The MFSI™ applies a scoring model to determine the ability of a municipality to develop and maintain the infrastructure necessary to deliver the services required by the residents in its area of jurisdiction without unplanned increases in the rates and tariffs charged, or a reduction in the level of services provided.
The municipality should also retain the necessary reserves to absorb financial shocks caused by natural, economic or other disasters, without external financial assistance.
The scores achieved by Mossel Bay for these components are equal or better than the averages for the Western Cape.
Mossel Bay Executive Mayor, Alderman Harry Levendal says he is satisfied with the rating.
Relief measures
Mossel Bay mayor, Alderman Harry Levendal said during today's press conference that while residents are at the beginning of the 21-day national lockdown due to Covid-19, his ultimate wish is that the virus will have as little impact as possible on the town and its people.
Levendal shared information on relief measures with regards to the lockdown and also had said hours ahead of the national lockdown, the Mossel Bay Council - at a special council meeting - unanimously approved the recommendations for a package of relief measures to ease the detrimental financial effect of the lockdown on residents, business owners, and the local economy.
Levendal said the influence of the lockdown would increasingly be felt in the community and especially by local businesses that depended on community support.
“Therefore, it was recommended to council to provide a financial grace period to support business, industry and individual customers with municipal accounts.”
Levendal said council continued to urge residents to diligently pay their accounts where possible as the municipality was dependent on a high payment return to maintain high service delivery.
"Unless you can prove that non-payment is the direct result of the lockdown, do not be opportunistic. Pay your dues," he said.
They include business and industry assistance and relief for residential clients.
Read more in Friday's Mossel Bay Advertiser, and online.
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