Whilst sympathising with the Randfontein Municipality, who, except for the Electrical Department, are generally doing a good job with limited funds and resources, I have to ask: Are you being fair to the consumers?

Since the Randfontein and Westonaria Municipalities were combined, my monthly rates have gone up by about R500 a month, and now there is a further R50 tariff on pre-paid electricity.

I assume this money is being used to pay off the debt incurred by people who wanted, no, demanded, all the services provided by the municipality, but who refused to pay for them.

So the decent and responsible people who have paid for their services, are now being punished for their honesty, while the unscrupulous people who take without paying, get away with it.

Is this fair?