Letters: Meters not being read properly

I am shocked that Ilembe municipality will charge sewer according to the municipal valuation of your property. This has been done without public participation and input.
This is not acceptable. With the present system, they have failed to have the meters read (prepaid) monthly although they have outsourced the ‘drive-by’ reading. You still get accounts with the letters I = Actual reading, H = Prepaid and E= Estimate. Why should we pay accounts which have been estimated? Ilembe municipality stopped the free six kilolitres of water that was provided to all consumers on or about June 2014. Most municipalities (including Western Cape which has one of the worst droughts in South Africa) still supply the 6kl free water.
We are being over-charged for sewer since the prepaid meters were installed. According to the department of water and sanitation, 29% of water is used for sewer. This means that Ilembe should be giving each household with prepaid meters a 71% rebate and not 30%.
Ilembe has failed to provide satisfactory service to the ratepayers. We in High Ridge had water problems throughout the Easter weekend. No tankers were sent.
In recent weeks, you might have read about both the municipalities’ wasteful and fruitless expenditures. Our highly-paid bureaucrats and councillors seem not to understand the wisdom of cutting the coat according to the available cloth. Don’t municipal managers know that many live on fixed incomes? Why are they unaware that in the real world, money does not stretch and wages do not go up in notches plus inflation (unlike theirs).
Perhaps it is time for a ratepayers / consumer revolt. Polite complaints are not enough. Ilembe municipality does not bother to reply to letters and complaints fall on deaf ears. Frankly do we need two municipalities for this town and its surroundings?
PH MAHARAJ
Stanger
Miss Zee Nqala, Communications Manager of Ilembe District Municipality replies:
The sewer charge change (property valuation method) is currently in the public participation phase – through Budget & IDP Roadshows. Meter reading/drive-by’s are not outsourced. The above method will ensure fixed sewer charges for consumers and avoid using any estimated readings.
The fruitless and wasteful expenditure article in question was related to the KwaDukuza municipality and not Ilembe District Municipality.
Free water is given to indigent consumers based on Council approved criteria. All Ilembe District residents can apply and receive six kilolitres of free water where set criteria are met. This programme (the indigent support programme) is open to community members who earn less than R3500.00 a month per household.
The recent problem of water supply for High Ridge and other areas (Warrenton, Indian Village, Doesburg and Lindelani) was due to a pipe break at the bottom of Indian Village across the R74. The break was a result of old infrastructure. There are currently projects underway to replace old pipelines. These projects are budgeted for in this and the next financial year.