‘Unconstitutional billing’ for residents of Norkem Park

Norkem Park residents voiced their concerns after the City of Ekurhuleni failed to take regular meter readings.

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It took the municipality a year to resolve the conventional electricity meter readings issue, according to the residents.

One such resident, Navine Kowlaser, told the Express that the municipality is overcharging the residents for electricity by using interim readings.

“We are being held to ransom and paying exorbitant monthly interim energy charges due to meter readings not being done regularly.

“If we, as residents, do not pay on time for our monthly services, we are disconnected immediately,” said Kowlaser.

Kowlaser said last year, the area’s ward councillor told him that the meter readings contract had expired and that was why their electricity meters were no longer read.

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He was told that newly appointed meter readers would be trained and qualified.

The frustrated Kowlaser added he sent several emails to the municipality and ward councillor, but the issue was not resolved.

“The municipality is holding us hostage. They are not taking our meter readings and are billing us for inaccurate meter readings,” he said.

Many residents also reported they couldn’t access their meters, making reading their readings impossible.

Kowlaser said that if the municipality can’t allow residents to access the meter reading boxes, then at least the meter reading should be done and checked in the presence of the residents.

The Express sent a request for comment to the CoE and the ward councillor for the Norkem Park area on March 29.

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The comment was requested by March 31 at 10:00. At the time of going to print, no comment had been received.

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