Since the City of Ekurhuleni launched its new e-Siyakhokha website last week, numerous residents have complained they could not re-register as required.
As a result of the upgrading of this service payment website (from www.e-Siyakhokha.co.za to www.siyakhokha.ekurhuleni.gov.za), customers on the old website are required to re-register.
The old website is no longer in use.
Metro spokesperson Themba Gadebe said the upgrades were necessitated by the need to align the platform with the digital city Ekurhuleni aspires to be, and would ultimately result in a service payment platform that is user-friendly and easily accessible.
Also read:
• e-Siyakhokha users need to re-register after upgrades
Some of the concerns raised by residents since Kempton Express published the article on its website on Thursday, were:
Rudi Craps: “The reset password function does not work. When you select the method as email, it gives an error that the number for SMS is invalid, and when selecting SMS, it gives an error about the email. Both of which are not selectable items. I can only imagine the quality of the site if this was the level of quality checking that was done.”
Wendy du Preez: “Not as nice as the previous system. It’s missing a few elements that it previously had, plus it does not show the full history of accounts and payments. I don’t think they had their users in mind when building the new platform. Surely, when you migrate your users from one platform to another, you think about these things right?”
William Millar: “Once you’ve registered, every time you login an email is sent notifying that you had logged on. I’ve sent an email highlighting this, nobody’s replied.”
Coleen Dolan: “I am not even getting my email to verify my email, so I can’t access the site. Not been able to register, still waiting for an email. They don’t respond to emails and phones tell you to try later.”
Simone Slabbert: “Did anyone care to ask the residents and prospective users if we want another website? The old one was fine and I do not see anything the new one offers that is better or new or would make my life easier/simpler.”
Pierre Prinsloo: “You so right, why go through all this again? I’ve been trying for two days now to register, every time a problem.”
Allison Edwards Dyer: “I also tried to register and move across. What a nightmare. First it says unable to verify, then new password, so I try to re-register then I receive an SMS to say use this to complete login. I go in using password and it says it is wrong. I try to reset it, hangs up. I send email and am still waiting three days later. Tried to phone, but waited 20 minutes and hung up.”
Yolandi Nieuwenhuis: “And why deactivate the old site that actually worked if the new site is not working yet? Let’s hope they sort it out.”
Gideon Schnetler: “My account was linked to another person. I am linked to an unknown account.”
Kempton Express has referred residents’ concerns to the metro for comment.
Residents can also pay their accounts at customer care centres, SPAR, banks, Pick n Pay, Checkers, Pep Stores, Makro and Builders Warehouse.
For more information contact 011 999 5102 or visit www.siyakhokha.ekurhuleni.gov.za
