The mayor of eThekwini, Cyril Xaba, calls for urgent action to address the municipality’s reported R47 billion debt problem. In his appeal, he urges councillors to engage communities and promote timely payment of municipal accounts. The mayor’s message emphasizes financial responsibility and timely contributions as part of efforts to manage and reduce the debt burden. The call comes amid concern over the scale of the municipality’s liabilities and the impact they can have on service delivery and municipal operations. While details on specific recovery measures are not provided in the account, the focus is on mobilisation and payment discipline at the local level. The mayor’s statements frame the debt crisis as requiring coordinated involvement from councillors and residents, suggesting that improving payment compliance is viewed as a key step in responding to the municipality’s financial challenges. The report presents the debt figure and the mayor’s call to action as central elements of the current public communication on the issue.