04/06/2026
MAYFLOWER’S WARD-BASED REVENUE CAMPAIGN GAINS MOMENTUM IN WARD 4 & 7
Mayflower – 04 June 2026 – The Municipality's Ward-Based Revenue Enhancement Campaign continues into Ward 4 and Ward 7 today with full force, bringing a mix of enforcement, service delivery, and administrative cleansing to the streets of Mayflower and surrounding areas.
Just days after a successful launch in Elukwatini, the campaign has been extended to ensure equitable coverage and to address long-standing challenges related to municipal arrears, land use compliance, and data integrity. The message from municipal leadership is clear: paying for services is not optional, by-laws will be enforced, and inaccurate property records will be corrected.
From early morning, multi-disciplinary teams fanned out across Ward 4 and Ward 7. Traffic officials conducted a joint law enforcement operation around the busy Mpuluzi corridor, pulling over vehicles and ensuring road safety compliance. Simultaneously, by-law enforcement officers and business inspectors visited local shops and spaza shops. Several businesses were found to be operating outside of municipal regulations and were issued fines on the spot. Other shops were closed at the time of inspection. In one notable incident, a by-law enforcement officer effected an arrest. The individual was immediately handed over to Mayflower SAPS for further processing. The Municipality confirmed that all arrests are processed in full compliance with the law.
One of the most welcomed features of the campaign has been the "real-time service delivery desk." In a tented area central to the operations, each municipal department set up a dedicated service table. Residents with leaking taps, uncollected refuse, incorrect bills, or questions about land use were able to speak directly to a municipal official and receive on-the-spot assistance. For many residents, this was the first time they had experienced such direct access. "Usually I have to travel to the main municipal office and wait for hours," said one community member who asked not to be named. "Today they came to me."
Behind the scenes, the campaign is tackling a long-festering problem: inaccurate municipal records. Teams spent the day verifying site ownership and cross-checking property data. Several vacant sites were identified that had never been properly recorded. More significantly, multiple properties were found to have been converted from residential to business use without authorisation from the Municipality. These changes affect property rates and waste management fees, and follow-up action will be taken against property owners who failed to regularise their status. "We cannot collect what we do not know," the CFO Ms Sekgobela explained. "Cleaning our data is the first step to fair and accurate billing."
The total revenue collected today from all campaign activities – including on-site payments, arrears settlements, and fines – amounted to R55 297.49 including taxes and rates, business licences and fire certificates. While the figure is modest, municipal leadership stresses that the campaign is a medium- to long-term intervention. "Rome was not built in a day," commented Manager Revenue Mr Gininda. "Today we laid the groundwork. The compliance and payments will follow."
On the whole, the community has shown general cooperation. However, feedback gathered by municipal teams indicates a genuine need for greater awareness of municipal processes. Many residents admitted they did not understand how their bills were calculated, or what steps were required to change land use or register a business. The Municipality has taken this feedback seriously. Going forward, public awareness materials will be distributed in simple, accessible language, and ward councillors will play a larger role in explaining the campaign's objectives.
The campaign will continue tomorrow, Friday, 05 June 2026, with intensified operations across Ward 4 and Ward 7. All municipal departments have been instructed to remain on the ground for the duration. The focus will shift to repeat visits to non-compliant businesses, follow-up on vacant sites, and additional traffic operations. Residents who missed the campaign teams today are urged to visit the office tomorrow. Officials will be wearing identifiable uniforms and carrying official identification.
"This campaign is not about punitive action alone – it is about restoring order, cleaning our data, and building a culture of compliance and payment. The launch in Elukwatini set the tone, and we are now seeing cooperation and results in Ward 4 and 7. We call on all residents and business owners to engage with our teams, regularise their status, and pay what they owe," said the Municipal Manager Mr Ephraim Thabethe.
He added: "We are not here to harass anyone. We are here to fix what has been broken for too long. That takes time, patience, and partnership. But make no mistake – we will be back, ward by ward, until every property is compliant and every account is current."
