Residents need to check up on municipal accounts
Residents that rely on municipal services are urged to check their account balances regularly and ensure that water meter readers have access to the meters to avoid high or inaccurate bills.
MALALANE – Problems with municipal accounts have many residents at their wits’ end.
Several have complained to Corridor Gazette that they do not receive their accounts each month, that water meter readings are not done correctly or regularly and that they are then unpleasantly surprised by large amounts that are running in arrears. This is especially problematic for people who rent houses, as some owners do not reside in the area and, therefore, do not check their mail regularly.
One of the biggest complaints is a battle to get hold of the correct person in the accounts department to sort out their problems.
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A few residents mentioned to this journalist that their water meters are located inside their yards. Water meter readers often cannot get hold of the residents to let them in and thus have to take an estimate.
Upon enquiry, municipal spokesman Cyril Ripinga, explained that readings are taken every month and if the meter is inside the premises, notices are sent to owners telling them to ensure that the meter is accessible to readers.
Ripinga continued to say that inaccessible meters result in cumulative billing. He requested that property owners engage the billing section to ensure all meters are installed outside premises. Once this has been done, the technical department will be requested to move the reported device outside.
In response to queries regarding the accounts allegedly not being sent out in time, Ripinga said the municipality has an IT challenge with sending accounts by email.
The municipality is considering an alternative system, where balances will be sent via SMS and accounts will be downloadable from the municipality’s website.
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Ripinga said that clients are responsible for querying their accounts if they do not receive it, per Part 4 of Clause 1t o 3 of the Municipality’s Credit Control and Debt Collection Policy.
In addition, the document also states that “an account can serve as a first notice as it may contain a warning message to a client with over 30 days arrears on their account”. It also warns that “failure to receive or accept an account does not relieve a customer of the obligation to pay any amount due”.
If customers have a problem with their accounts, they can send emails to account.enquiries@nkomazi.gov.za and corrie.carlson@nkomazi.gov.za.
