In a bid to untangle the billing knots that have long frustrated residents, the City of Johannesburg’s Revenue Department hosted their billing open day, designed to help residents resolve outstanding municipal account issues directly with officials.

The open day took place on November 8 at the Marks Park Sports Grounds, promising a one-stop platform where residents engaged the full billing value chain – from meter readers and account managers to senior finance officials – all under one roof.

Read more: City opens its doors at Marks Park to solve billing headaches

According to Poppy Louw, PR specialist in the city’s Group Finance Department, the open day marked the first of its kind since the launch of the city’s debt relief programme, a year-long initiative aimed at helping residents, businesses, and organisations bring their municipal accounts back into balance. “We’re assisting residents who’ve had billing issues that led to debt. The programme is open, not only to residents, but also to NGOs, NPOs, businesses, orphanages, and old-age homes.”

Also read: No more billing open days

Louw encouraged all eligible customers to visit the city’s website, or customer service centres, to check if they qualify for the programme. “If you think you qualify, please apply. It will help us bring the city’s debtors’ book back to equilibrium.”

Acknowledging residents’ frustrations with online systems, she added that face-to-face engagements remain vital. “We’ve seen that many residents prefer direct interaction, and that’s why these open days are so important.”

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