The Highvelder ran an article in its 24 July edition, regarding the Ermelo Business Association who indicated that local businesses are suffering amid Covid-19 and more needed to be done by local government to assist.
Mr Athol Stark, President of the Ermelo Business Association and Chief Tourism Coordinator, stated that businesses in Ermelo are, amid Covid-19, struggling to make ends meet and due to this fact, may struggle to meet their financial responsibilities towards the municipality.
“This in turn would also detrimentally affect the municipality’s ability to pay their debt,” he said at the time.
Mr Stark stated that the municipality should therefore not overreach at the expense of local businesses through implementing more bylaws and/or requesting additional compliance as to fill their own coffer to enable them to maintain their agreements with their creditors.
Mr Stark pointed to the municipality’s alleged inaccurate billing system as an example of overreaching.
After obtaining comment from Mr Mandla Zwane, Msukaligwa Municipality’s spokesman, he recently responded to additional questions he could at the time not address.
He said: “The municipality strives to ensure that consumers are billed on correct consumption, however there are at times limitations.”
Estimated consumption
He then indicated that at times the municipality is forced to estimate the consumer’s consumption, this, he said was done when readings could not be obtained due to:
• No Access (locked, dogs, alarm)
• Meters secured by the customer (not easily accessible)
• Meter inaccessible due to lawn / sand covering the meter
• Consumer refusing access to premises
• Meter faulty or broken but not reported to the municipality
Municipal contact details for inaccurate billing
He was asked whether the municipality still actively takes water and electricity readings at residential and business properties to which he responded they do take readings monthly, but encouraged consumers who are not satisfied with the readings to reach out to them on any of the following numbers and email addresses:
• Call 017 801 3529/ Billing@msukaligwa.gov.za
• nmkhaliphi@msukaligwa.gov.za Accountant Billing
• szikalala@msukaligwa.gov.za Manager Revenue
• smphiri@msukaligwa.gov.za Deputy Chief Financial Officer
“The Municipality would like to encourage community to come forward with any queries with regard to their billing and to report any faulty or damage meters.”
