BUDGET: Treasury reports progress in action against 69 municipalities [SOUND]

 # The National Treasury says of the 69 municipalities whose national funding was suspended in June due to failure in paying creditors, 37 had agreed to council-approved repayment plans. By the end of July, 4.2-billion-rand had been paid to creditors. Treasury will also add 3.5-billion-rand over the next three years to expand smart-meter programmes, intended to improve revenue collection and help fund essential municipal services. Finance minister Enoch Godongwana says the government is enforcing payment commitments by municipalities and government departments: