Metro bill shocker for businesswoman

THE owner of Fawncastle Estate in Hillcrest, Pat Hoyle, said she was gutted and shocked when she opened her latest Metro bill. The total value owed to the eThekwini Municipality was R113 895.08.

Hoyle has lived in Hillcrest for 19 years and said despite owning a guesthouse, she has never received a bill of this magnitude.

“The bill came in on Monday, 22 July. I recently made a deposit of R45 000 and then placed another R40 000 towards the full amount. With that type of monthly bill I cannot afford to run this place,” said the dismayed 80-year-old business owner.

Hoyle said no meter readings have been taken by municipal officials and the estate staff have, for the past two months, taken down the readings and submitted them to the eThekwini Municipality. The monthly rates for her property are R7 447.28. She said her average Metro bill, per month, should average at about R25 000.

“They (municipal officials) arrived here a day after we received the bill to cut off the electricity. We had to take out our proof of payment to show that we had paid. We have tried to invite them here to discuss this but to no avail,” said Hoyle.

“Since last year, the bill was reaching up to R55 000 per month and it has continued to increase each month between 10 to 20 per cent. They seem to be sucking the price out of their thumbs. As I mentioned, no meter readings have ever been taken,” continued Hoyle.

Another one of Hoyle’s properties, which uses pre-paid meters and has been vacant for more than a year, received an electricity bill for R35 000.

“Each week I go in and top it up to keep the alarm and pool motor running. How can I be billed such an amount for electricity when it is on pre-paid and there is no one living there?” she queried.

“When the municipal officials came to my property they wanted to know when the balance would be paid. I don’t make that much profit. I have a choice, I either pay my staff or pay my electricity. We have already had to do a retrenchment because of this nonsense,” said Hoyle.

eThekwini Municipality’s spokesman, Msawakhe Mayisela, responds:

“The meter readings have been done in terms of the schedule and customers charged correctly for consumption. The customers are also able to send their meter readings for electricity to custocare@elec.durban.gov.za or SMS 30909. The customer is advised to contact the city to discuss the account should there be clarity needed.”

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