The Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) in the Otjozondjupa Region has condemned the Grootfontein municipality's decision to appoint a debt collector.

The council appointed Red Force Debt Management to trace businesses and residents with outstanding accounts.

In a media release, the Otjozondjupa SPYL Regional Secretary, Alfeus Kamati, says Red Force disregards the welfare of residents and only considers the interests of those who hired it. 

"The decision to appoint a debt collector is a bit extreme. The council would have exhausted other options to still effectively collect debts owed to it, either by institutions or residents. In the past, we have learned that the methods used by some of these debt collection agencies are a bit inhuman and cause serious frustration to residents who are already economically disadvantaged."

The Youth League called upon officials of the Grootfontein Municipality to terminate its contract with Red Force Debt Management and to consider other alternatives to collect its debts.

The debt collectors will start with municipal debt collection in Grootfontein on May 1.