Resident feels powerless

Orange Grove resident, Bridgette Vermaak, is frustrated after receiving incorrect bills from the City of Johannesburg (COJ).

Vermaak said, “Our monthly bill averages around R2 000 per month, however, on 7 October last year, I received an incorrect bill for our water and lights. I phoned COJ to inform them of this and was advised that our bill was underestimated the previous months, yet their meter reading [on the bill] and the actual reading are contradictory.”

The following month, Vermaak yet again received an incorrect bill and when she disputed the amount, she was advised to visit the branch with an image of the meter reading. “In November last year, my husband took off work and went i to the Sandton branch with an image of the meter reading and was told the account would be reversed within three days.”

The following week, COJ told Vermaak to pay the account. In December, Vermaak was again billed incorrectly with an amount of R24 994 and when they disputed this, they were told again to just pay the account. A frustrated Vermaak said, “In January, the meter reader came and I explained the issues of the incorrect reading being captured at head office and showed him the conflicting numbers on my billing.

“I watched him write down the correct meter reading and was assured this would be settled. A few days later, I received a bill of R34, 639 which had obviously drastically increased and, according to their meter reading, my meter was at 91723, however, my actual reading is 75674. Therefore my reading is constantly being captured incorrectly and constantly increases every month.”

Ward councillor Steven Kruger said, “Without a doubt, the account is incorrect as the readings on the account are higher than the photographs taken in January. What is particularly concerning is that the account says actual reading. I could understand an error if it said estimate, but as it says actual reading incorrectly for two months in a row, somebody must be entering data incorrectly. In fact, I have had a number of similar queries this month.”

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Kruger has forwarded Vermaak’s complaints to a manager at Daisy Street to resolve the issue, and moving forward Kruger said, “The new administration was supposed to resolve billing problems within 30 days. However, this is still not happening and these issues do need to be investigated.

“The billing department is relying on information that is sent to them from the likes of City Power and Joburg Water, so if they receive incorrect information about the account, everything will be wrong. We need to identify where the errors are taking place in order to resolve the billing problems now and in the future.”

North Eastern Tribune contacted the City of Johannesburg and was told by a recording that they are aware of incorrect billing, and this is due to the recruitment and training of new staff which has been ongoing since October last year and they are investigating the matter.

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