Metro entitled to deliver final notices

BENEDICT MNYANGO writes:

I am disturbed and furious with the way Ekurhuleni Municipality is ripping off its customers using default notices.

Before I registered for the e-Siyakhokha service, my mail statements were either late or not delivered at all. I ended up paying the warning notice charges of about R90.

I realised that the municipality may be doing this deliberately in order to benefit from charges for default notices. Now the e-Siyakhokha service has not sent an email notice since March 17. I did not receive email notifications for April and May.

I think the municipality is at it again by ensuring that customers default so they may benefit from default charges. I realised I was behind with my payments when I found a default notice on May 17. To top it all, the municipality has ensured that the revenue offices in Kempton Park are closed on Saturdays and many customers like me cannot come in during the week as I work far.

I heard from my friend that the Tembisa offices do open on Saturdays but I live in Kempton Park and have no idea where the Tembisa offices are.

I find your scheme of default notices despicable and abominable to say the least. I demand that Ekurhuleni Metro Municipality cancel their default notice charges and open the Kempton Park revenue offices on Saturdays.

The metro replies:

No account detail was given to investigate the complainant’s specific query and therefore the specifics of the complaint could not be commented on.

Failure by the municipality to render an account does not relieve a customer of the obligation to pay any amount that is due and payable.

If a consumer fails to pay the full amount due and payable on or before the account due date, the unpaid amount is in arrears and a final notice shall be hand delivered.

An administrative fee will be levied against the account in terms of the tariff provisions of the council, in respect of any action taken in demanding payment from the customer or reminding the customer by means of a notice delivered by hand, that such account is in arrears.

The issue of final notices are in line with the Constitutional Court ruling set down, placing obligation on municipalities to inform any customer that notice is given in terms of council’s relevant by-laws that such account is in arrears at the due date and that services to the property may be disconnected/restricted without further notice unless payment of the outstanding amount is made within the prescribed period.

The office hours for Kempton Park rates hall are Mondays to Fridays from 8.15am to 3.30pm and on Wednesdays from 9am to 3.30pm. Customers of Kempton Park may visit Rabasotho Rates Hall in Tembisa for service should they not be able to visit such during weekdays and will be assisted.

The physical address of Tembisa Civic Centre is stated on the reverse side of statements.

As per important notice on the reverse side of the statement various payment methods are available for all consumers should they wish not to pay at the metro offices. It is imperative to note that electronic payments through financial institutions or any other third party system must be made not later than seven days prior to account due date.