By Johnathan Paoli
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Tshwane has called for decisive action against deputy mayor and Finance MMC Bonzo Modise over a R23 million outstanding municipal bill linked to a resort company he operates, accusing the ANC-led coalition of shielding its own while ordinary residents and businesses struggle with skyrocketing municipal charges.
At a press briefing on Wednesday, DA Tshwane mayoral candidate Cilliers Brink said the revelations highlighted “double standards” in how the City of Tshwane enforces credit control.
“While Mayor Moya has led Tshwane credit control teams to disconnect schools, small businesses and even the Tshwane University of Technology, no such action has been taken against Modise’s R23 million debt,” Brink said.
The bill relates to the former Morula Sun property in Mabopane, now leased to Modise’s company, Mzansi Resorts.
According to Brink, the city has suspended credit control measures on the property despite repeated disclosures of its ballooning debt.
The controversy comes against the backdrop of widespread anger over rising municipal bills following the adoption of Tshwane’s 2025/26 budget.
Residents and businesses alike have raised concerns about steep property rate increases and higher electricity tariffs, exacerbated by the introduction of a contentious “city cleansing levy.”
Brink said the DA’s “listening tour” across Pretoria had revealed the extent of residents’ frustration.
In Rosslyn, a factory owner employing 200 workers reportedly saw his account double in a month.
In Elandspoort, a middle-income household’s property rates jumped from R300 to R1,400 per month after the new valuation roll.
The cleansing levy, intended to balance an R857 million budget deficit, has since been struck down by the Gauteng High Court.
The court found the city could not demonstrate whether the charge was a tax, surcharge or tariff, nor prove that it reflected the cost of services; ordering the reversal of the levy and credited refunds to customer accounts.
Yet, according to Brink, the City has continued billing residents the levy despite failing to secure leave to appeal.
The DA urged mayor Nasiphi Moya and her coalition to commit to two actions: firstly, to abandon attempts to appeal the cleansing levy ruling and instead table a new funding plan with credible deficit-reduction measures; secondly, to enforce credit control against Mzansi Resorts with the same urgency applied to ordinary residents.
Brink also criticised the ANC coalition for rejecting DA proposals during the budget process, including raising the non-taxable threshold for property values from R150,000 to R450,000 and avoiding new tariffs.
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