The billing system of the Tshwane metro has been reviewed and reprogrammed to ensure that double cleansing charges do not hit residents again.

Spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said the Finance and Information and Communication Technology teams have successfully corrected and thoroughly tested the billing system. This follows after the ‘unintended incorrect application of cleansing charges’ to certain municipal accounts.

“Following a detailed technical review and verification exercise, the system has now been reprogrammed to ensure that cleansing charges are only applied to properties that do not receive municipal waste collection services,” said Mashigo.

The billing system error, which stemmed from a technical misconfiguration within the metro’s billing system, was identified in recent months.

Mashigo said as part of the remedial action, a bulk adjustment process was implemented in October, impacting 11 862 accounts that were incorrectly billed.

These accounts have now been rectified, and affected customers will see the reversals reflected on their November municipal statements.

“Credit adjustments for the affected amounts are being processed in batches and will be visible on customer accounts by the end of November,” he confirmed.

He said the metro sincerely regretted the inconvenience and financial uncertainty caused by the error and extended its appreciation to residents for their patience and understanding throughout the resolution process.

Mashigo said the swift and methodical response underscores the metro’s determination to ensure all customers are billed accurately and fairly.

He added that to prevent similar issues in the future, the metro has introduced a set of preventative measures:

The metro strengthened system validation and quality control protocols before billing runs.

It does routine technical and financial audits to maintain ongoing billing accuracy, and enhanced staff training and interdepartmental co-ordination to detect and correct anomalies quickly.

It also improved communication channels to provide residents with timely, transparent updates on billing matters.

“The City of Tshwane remains unwavering in its commitment to clean governance, reliable service delivery, and financial integrity,” Mashigo said.

“By reinforcing internal controls and promoting open engagement with residents, the city continues to build public trust and confidence in its administration.”

Residents who continue to experience billing discrepancies or require further clarification are encouraged to contact the metro’s Customer Care Centre through the following platforms: Contact Centre on 012 358 9999, [email protected] or the e-Tshwane Portal (www.e-tshwane.co.za).

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