Wrong meter readings cost Seshego resident
Elizabeth Mahlangu lives in an RDP house with her family and since 2015 they have been billed over R1 000 monthly.
POLOKWANE – 48-year-old Elizabeth Mahlangu from Seshego Zone 5, broke down in tears after she received yet another high municipal account without getting answers as to why it is so high.
Mahlangu says their municipal account was never more than R300 per month, but since 2015 they have been billed over R1 000 monthly.
“I have been to the municipality several times to query the matter but no one can explain why our municipal account is so high. My husband and I cannot afford to pay this bill as we have two children living with us and two at university. When we first received a higher than normal municipal account we were unsure what caused it so we paid what we could. As the high accounts continued, however, I queried the matter but there were times we skipped a month due to financial strain,” Mahlangu explains.
She adds their municipal account once added up to R11 000.
“The municipality cut off our water supply twice because we were unable to pay the account and each time I had to pay R200 to have the water reconnected. We noticed a possible reason for the high municipal account might be due to the water meter readings on the bill not matching the actual readings on our meter.”
BONUS investigated and found the meter readings on Mahlangu’s recent municipal account reads 1 766 while the actual reading on the water meter was 0 0769 last Tuesday, 23 May.
BONUS also found the glass of the water meter was damaged and that you have to look very closely to get the correct readings.
According to Mahlangu when she queried this at the municipality, she was told the municipality has a service provider that takes monthly meter readings, which is used to bill customers.
Municipal Spokesperson, Matshidiso Mothapo, says anyone with queries relating to their municipal account is encouraged to approach the municipality to investigate and resolve the matter to the satisfaction of both parties.
“It cannot be factual that there is no one who can explain why the account is high as it is standard practice that with queries of this nature the customer may be advised to provide own readings for verification by the municipality. An investigation into the matter will be carried out once it is reported by the account holder,” Mothapo explains.
Asked about reimbursement for billing on wrong meter readings, Mothapo’s response was that the municipality will have to conduct their own investigation to verify the readings and consider the matter per its merits once the account owner has lodged a complaint at the municipality.
“The account holder is advised to take up her query with the manager revenue section for assistance. Every account holder has the responsibility to ensure their property is accessible for the municipality to get meter readings. In the event the municipality cannot gain access to the property, estimations based on previous consumption is done. The estimations will be adjusted once the meter readers are able to gain access to the property,” Mothapo explains.
He adds it is important to note any amount due and not settled generates interest. The municipality has systems in place for resolving account disputes up to the level of the CFO and the municipal manager.
Mothapo said the municipality has circulated a timetable for meter readings and letters to account holders to ensure accessibility.
