People paying their rates and utilities at the Benoni Customer Care Centre are no longer permitted to do so by ordinary cheque.
The decision was implemented on Thursday, last week.
Only bank cheques or bank guaranteed cheques are accepted, along with EFT, bank card or cash payments.
Ekurhuleni spokesperson Themba Gedebe said the decision was taken after an increase in fraudulent cheques.
”The Benoni customer care area office has taken a decision that ordinary cheque payments are not accepted due to an increase in refer to drawer (R/D) and fraudulent cheques,” said Gadebe.
”The number of R/Ds in March 2014 was approximately 12.
”However, since April, we have been receiving over 50 R/Ds per month, hence, the corrective steps.”
Attorney Dave Civin said he has been paying his bills by cheque for the past 30 years and received no notification from Ekurhuleni that it was no longer accepted.
His messenger was sent twice to pay a bill by cheque last week, but was turned away.
Civin made an EFT payment several days later.
