IN a move to provide much-needed financial relief to community services, Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality’s Member of the Mayoral Committee for Budget and Treasury, Councillor Khanya Ngqisha, conducted an oversight visit to the Ekuphumleni Old Age Home in Zwide recently.
The visit’s primary aim was to register elderly residents for the Assistance to the Poor (ATTP) subsidy programme, a crucial step in addressing the home’s municipal debt, which presently stands at approximately R3 million.
The ATTP initiative is crafted to alleviate financial burdens on non-profit and non-governmental organisations caring for vulnerable communities and is not limited to organisational aid alone. It also extends assistance to individuals in indigent areas by managing arrears on their municipal accounts and offering sustainable solutions to settle debts.
“This programme ensures that organisations serving the community are given much-needed financial support. It also provides a sustainable approach to managing arrears for those in need,” said Councillor Ngqisha during the visit.
The intervention was warmly received by the Ekuphumleni Old Age Home, as expressed by its Director, Mongameli Peter. “We are deeply thankful to Councillor Ngqisha for tackling this ongoing issue. This debt relief will bring much-needed support to the elderly in our care,” he commented.
