POLOKWANE – A woman who lives in Suid Street is furious after she received a municipal notice last week stating that her electricity supply would be cut if she did not apply for her water meter to be moved before the end of July.
The notice reads that the municipality does not have access to Annette Meyer’s yard in order to take her water meter reading and therefore she must move the water meter to a place where they can take readings.
But according to Meyer she made the necessary arrangements with the company the municipality contracted to do the water meter readings, African Meter Readings (AMR), that there would be someone at her home every Friday to open the gate for them to take readings.
“Since we made this arrangement no one ever came to take readings on a Friday. I don’t have a problem with the moving of the meter.
“I do have a problem with the fact that I have to pay for it. I don’t want it moved, the municipality does, so why must I pay for it? They can carry the cost as they are the ones who do not come on a Friday to take readings as agreed,” Meyer said.
Meyer added that she had a borehole and did not need the municipality’s services. “If the municipality does not sort out their problem, they can disconnect their electricity. I will make arrangements with Eskom for electricity and use my borehole for water. I will not be bullied into anything,” she said.
According to Meyer she called the municipality several times after she received the notice, but no one listed on the letter for enquiries could help her.
“There are four people listed on the letter for enquiries, Saville Palmer, Mathlon Benadie, Catherine Rasehlo and Noko Phooko. I called the first three and no one could help me.
“Palmer told me he doesn’t work with such enquiries and doesn’t understand why his name is on the list. Benadie never answered his phone and Rasehlo referred me to another person who also could not assist me.
“This made me angry, because the municipality is quick to send threatening letters, but has no one to assist with enquiries. The new mayor must do a check and ensure her personnel are competent, because clearly there is a problem in this department,” Meyer said.
When Meyer did not find someone to assist her telephonically, she sent an e-mail to the municipality that explained her situation and stated that she did not have a problem with the moving of the water meter, but that she would not pay for it.
Malesela Maubane, a municipal spokesperson said the water meter remained the property of the municipality and therefore should be accessible for reading at all times.
“AMR is contracted to do all readings and residents are urged to make arrangements for reading to be taken on their meters. In this particular instance the municipality will investigate whether the customer made arrangements with AMR and if so, why the arrangement was not kept. Arrangements with AMR for meter readings can be made at (015) 297 2613,” Maubane said.
The municipality urged residents who visited the municipality’s rates hall at counters six and eight to make arrangements on settling outstanding bills.
