ConCourt expected to rule on municipal debt liability

20 May 2017 10:34 AM

The Constitutional Court is expected to make a groundbreaking ruling that could affect the entire country, from the banking system down to ordinary tenants, trying to make ends meet.

It will decide on Tuesday over whether or not property owners should be liable for previous owners’ municipal debt.

This means ordinary ratepayers will now know their rights when it comes to coughing up cash to cover a previous tenant or owners municipal debt.

The case involves litigation between municipal debt specialist, New Ventures Consulting and Services (NVC) and the city of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality, Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality and the Minister of Co-Operative Governance and Traditional Affairs.

NVC has spearheaded the legal bid in this pioneering case since 2013.

Africa Melane spoke to the company's Peter Livanos.

The whole concept of our Constitutional Court case that we have been driving is that when a purchaser buys a property he should buy wit with a clean slate he shouldn't inherit the debt of others.
— Peter Livanos, New Ventures Consulting & Services

I am hoping that the judgement will come out shortly, but I have no doubt that the Constitutional Court will uphold our case...The whole credit of our country can be dramatically affected. The repercussions are terribly profound.
— Peter Livanos, New Ventures Consulting & Services

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Written by: Neo Koza