Shock over high municipal accounts
Residents of Middelburg took to social media this week expressing shock and anger at ridiculously high municipal accounts for rates and taxes in the last month.
Many people’s accounts have almost doubled or increased by more than 70% – and all were unanimous that an even bigger surprise awaits for this coming month end account.
The initial post to www.mobserver.co.za Facebook Group was made by Rosemarie Luck De Waal, who stated that their normal account is approximately R3 800 per month – and the new account has increased by a staggering 70% to R 6 111.
“We are pensioners and use a gas stove. My Electricity alone was R3 503. How do we justify this?” she asked.
The post received more than 100 comments by Friday morning as many people responded with statements of helplessness and desperation. Others refused to accept it and accused the municipality of a miscalculation.
Another resident, Pierre de Villiers, said the readings were quite accurate according to a device that measures daily electricity usage.
He claimed that he himself calculated the new tariffs and tried to make sense of the increases. He posted the following: “Electricity rates: 50KWH = R0.87, 5 50KWH=R1.65 With the six extra days it is possible that most of us ended up with higher usage placing us in the R1.47 and R1.65 KWH range and the Average 7.41% increase.”
www.mobserver.co.za Will clarify the increases on Monday with the municipality and will request feedback to residents.
• Members of the public who feel they are being ripped off are welcome to share information with www.mobsever.co.za by contacting us via our Facebook Group, or you can contact 072 110 2710 or email: yaseen@mobserver.co.za.
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