The Tshwane metropolitan municipality has more than halved the number of customers with municipal-account difficulties in the past three months, its chief financial officer said on Wednesday.
”Of the 36 438 customers affected with billing issues, 15 379 still remain to be fixed, meaning that a total of 21 059 customers have therefore had their accounts resolved,” said Renier du Toit.
The problems started when the council introduced a new integrated-computer system. The problem was apparently not with the computer system, but with faulty information, such as incorrect addresses and incorrect information from water and electricity meters.
This resulted in incorrect amounts on municipal accounts, and accounts not being received at all.
”We started off with 120 000 problems on accounts,” Du Toit said.
Trade Union Solidarity, however, said it might be too soon for the municipality to celebrate.
”The number of residents who contact us daily with sky-high, faulty accounts, shows no sign of declining,” said Jahni Cowley, Solidarity spokesperson.
”Some problems are sorted out, but others then rear their heads.”
Cowley said one of the new problems residents have is that some do not receive accounts for municipal-property tax. When they phone to complain they are told that their properties are registered in someone else’s name.
She said the union is awaiting a decision from the public protector into a complaint in December that the metro council was not delivering proper services.
Du Toit said while the number of residents with problems had been more than halved, the remaining problems would be more difficult, and thus slower to resolve.
He said one of the big problems was meters that were inaccessible to the meter readers.
The council would issue notices in the coming week to 12 000 residents, whose meters are not easily accessible, to allow readers access to them.
”If access is denied, immediate cut-off actions will be taken,” Du Toit said.
He said these include properties where meters are still indoors and those where they are on an exterior wall, but behind a fence or wall.
Cowley said Solidarity thought the municipality should sort out old problems before they could start such action.
Du Toit asked residents who still experience problems and have not received the municipal accounts to contact 012 358 9999 or send an e-mail to [email protected].
In related news, the Tshwane metropolitan city is owed R400-million by businesses in arrears with their municipal accounts, Du Toit said on Wednesday.
”It is totally unacceptable.”
The municipality started to focus on businesses with outstanding accounts four weeks ago.
”As we work through their accounts and we verify the correctness thereof we expect them to pay, otherwise we will introduce credit control to the fullest,” he warned.
City Manager Blake Mosley-Lefatola said another problem the city was experiencing was illegal electricity and water connections.
”We are losing more than R100-million a year due to illegal water connections. We are losing close to a R100-million a year due to illegal electricity connections.”
The fact that it was happening was indicative of how ”sick and disobedient” society was, he said. — Sapa