/ 9 July 2013

ANC gets slapped with R3.5m municipality bill

Luthuli House
Luthuli House, Braamfontein. (Gallo)

The bill, dated May 24 2013, was for services for the ANC's Luthuli House headquarters, and contained a threat of legal action.

The eNCA website published a copy of the municipal bill. It indicated that the ANC had R3 511 248.44 outstanding.

"You are hereby notified that unless immediate payment of the outstanding amount is made, the council will issue instruction to cut off services and institute legal action," a notice on the bill reads.

ANC spokesperson Keith Khoza told eNCA that when the party received the bill, it lodged a formal complaint disputing the amount shown against what was paid.

"It's part of many bills sent out to many residents that was faulty … What we know is that the City of Johannesburg has set a process in motion to deal with complaints.

There might be some residual bills that still need to be rectified," Khoza was quoted as saying.

City spokesperson Stanley Maphologela said: "The Luthuli account was among the well-paid accounts on the monthly basis without fail."

He said the ANC had brought the billing error to the municipality's attention and the problem had been rectified. –Sapa