Gauteng municipalities to launch online indigent register

Image source: Vitaliy Vodolazskyy – 123RF.com

He was speaking at the District Development Model (DDM) Presidential Imbizo that is being led by President Cyril Ramaphosa at the Tsakani Stadium in Ekurhuleni, Gauteng.

“There are many people who are unemployed, but they can’t get the benefits of free electricity and water because they are not properly registered so that they can be [classified as] indigent. We have now agreed with all executive mayors in our last lekgotla, we are introducing an e-register from October,” he said on Friday.

The Premier said the register will link up with all of government’s databases and retail stores.

“This is so that whoever is employed, whoever that is hiding their employment, must not benefit for free benefits that are due to our people. In Ekurhuleni in particular…they have introduced a new threshold which does not exclude those who are getting social grants and does not exclude those who are unemployed.

“What it means is that if you are poor and we have registered you, we have checked the database, you will receive all free services without being asked who you are in all municipalities in our province,” he said.

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Lesufi also announced that the provincial government has committed to bringing free WiFi connections to at least 26 townships in Gauteng.

“We are bringing something so important, especially to young people in our province. We have identified 26 townships…to make the townships access reliable, dependable free WiFi, so that all our people are in a position to connect.

“Children of the poor have a right to do their homework at home using free WiFi so they can access these services. The future is no longer about water and electricity only. The future is about data so that those who are unemployed can send their CVs utilising free WiFi,” he said.