By Nangamso Mabindla

The Buffalo City Municipality will introduce a new customer incentive scheme to encourage residents to pay their electricity, water and rates bills on time.

Customers who pay their bills on time will stand a chance of winning a cash prize in a monthly draw.

The incentive scheme has a budget of R100 000 for the current financial year. About R10 000 will be given out every month as prize money.

The incentive scheme will begin at the end of September and will run for three years.

The scheme has the support of Executive Mayor Sindisile Maclean, says Darby Gounden, the municipality's communications manager.

"The scheme is not only aimed at encouraging customers to keep paying their bills but it is also an opportunity to encourage non-payers to start a culture of payment," Gounden said.

The scheme will increase the council's cash flow, enabling it to make investments to secure further earnings, she said.

To ensure transparency and fairness, a computer programming company has developed a programme for the municipality that can identify all paid-up consumers. Winners will be selected randomly.

"All paid-up customers will go into this draw, totalling R10 000 or more. The number of accounts per area will determine the number of proposed winners. This means there will be two draws of R2 500 each for East London and coastal areas and one draw of R2 500 each for Mdantsane and King William's Town," Gounden said.

To be eligible for the draw, consumers must pay their accounts in full by the 7th of each month in East London and Mdantsane, and by the 15th of each month in King William's Town.

Accounting firm Deloitte & Touche will audit the draw at no cost.