PIETER writes:
I was a bit late in paying my rates this month, so I paid the full amount in cash on August 15 at the Kempton Park Rates Hall.
About two hours later, somebody came around and disconnected my electricity. I spoke to the fellow who said I could phone the number on the disconnection notice and they would restore my supply.
I did so, 11 times. The number is 011 999 4131. There is no reply.
I then found the website of the Ekurhuleni Kempton Park Customer Care Centre. They have the following telephone number: 011 999 3519. If you call that number, you are informed that the number does not exist.
I then called Vodacom Directory Services and asked them for a number for the Ekurhuleni Kempton Park Customer Care Centre. They suggested an alternative number: 011 999 2100.
I called that number and was informed that the number did not exist.
I then tried the call centre at 0860 543 000. After five attempts, I eventually managed to reach an operator, who told me, I needn’t worry – that since I had already paid, somebody would be around shortly to reconnect my electricity.
I somehow very much doubted that. She would also not supply me with a reference number for my call, because that was “not their department”.
I’ve compiled the above into an email, and sent it off to the mayor of Ekurhuleni, the city manager, the Information department and the call centre. I also forwarded it to my ward councillor.
I am convinced that the mayor and the city manager are keen to be notified of broken processes and incompetence, so as to speedily fix them in their quest to provide us all with an excellent service.
By the way, I would’ve also forwarded this e-mail to the Kempton Park Customer Care Centre, except that they don’t have any e-mail listed on their website.
The e-mail I sent to the call centre was returned to me as undeliverable, the reason being: “The recipient’s mailbox is full and can’t accept messages now. Please try resending this message later…”
At 3.08pm I received an SMS from “The City of Ekurhuleni”, acknowledging “…your reconnection following Payment Level 1 complaint our Finance Credit Cntrl Dept is attending to the complaint Reference No…”
No reference number was given.
At 6.30pm I received an email from the city manager promising she would investigate the matter. It is now 10.38am the following morning and my electricity is still down.
To reiterate: I am not complaining about my electricity being disconnected – even if it was disconnected when my account was paid in full. My complaint is that none of the published avenues to address the situation, works.
The number 011 999 4131 on the disconnection notice goes unanswered. The numbers for the Ekurhuleni Kempton Park Customer Care Centre as stated on the internet, 011 999 3519, and 011 999 2100 from directory services, do not exist.
After extensive attempts to reach the Kempton Park Service Delivery Centre (as stated in the Ekurhuleni Rates Invoice at 0860 543 000), I eventually reached an operator who gave me the wrong information, namely that my power would be reconnected shortly and that I need not take any further action.
There is no publically available e-mail address for the Kempton Park Customer Care Centre.
The published email address for the Ekurhuleni Kempton Park Call Centre returns: Tswarelo.Sathekge@ekurhuleni.gov.za: the recipient’s mailbox is full and can’t accept messages now. Please try resending this message later, or contact the recipient directly.
This morning (August 16), I again tried to call 011 999 4131. Still no answer. Go ahead, try it.
