The City of Johannesburg’s revenue department’s successful outreach programme makes Region E customers happy
Region E’s Revenue Department spent a few hours in Bryanston, at Coachmans Crossing, guiding residents through the pensioner rebate process.
The City of Johannesburg (CoJ) continued to bolster connectivity to residents of the Sandton community through a Revenue Department Awareness campaign drive held in Bryanston.
Community members from across Region E were invited to join CoJ at Coachman’s Crossing, bringing municipal services directly to customers on October 25.
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Jabu Dhlamini, who is the deputy director of stakeholder relations at the CoJ Revenue Shared Services Centre (RSSC), spoke on the importance of making municipal services easier to be accessed by customers whom they service.
“We ask shopping centres to allow us to come and assist customers, so they don’t have to drive to Daisy Street to get their queries listened to, or resolved; especially the elderly,” Dhlamini said. “We help with checking the status of applications. Some people applied for pensioner rebates, and they want to know the status of their applications.”
Dhlamini explained that a pensioner rebate is to assist the elderly so that they don’t pay high property rates.
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“There is a 60 to 69-year-olds’ criteria. If they earn less than R11 000 per month, or receive a pension that’s less than this amount, then they qualify for a 100% rebate on their property rates. If they earn less than R21 000 per month, they qualify for a 50% rebate,” Dhlamini explained. “The next category is for customers aged 70 and above. The only requirement from them is to fill in a form, and submit certified copies of identification. We don’t require proof of earnings for that group.”
A number of people complained over not getting their municipal statements anymore, so Dhlamini’s department was also registering people on the city’s e-Joburg portal – where customers can download their statements if they’re registered, or upload their water and electricity meter readings if they’re not on prepaid.
Although this information sharing engagement was held in Region E’s ward 102, where Lucinda Harman serves as councillor, the city was joined at their gazebo by Ward 115 councillor Mark van der Merwe.
Region E resident Kate Gilbert (70), who had been struggling to get her pensioner property rebate, commended the city for coming out as a brilliant initiative towards delivering services to communities.
“It has now been done, and I have proof that it’s 100% been granted. This meeting opportunity today was fantastic,” Gilbert said. “It was well worth coming and getting it sorted by people who really know what they’re talking about. Thank goodness for councillor Mark Van Der Merwe. I hope they keep this up, because you get absolutely nowhere when you go into their offices.”
Community members can access the city’s e-Joburg portal on e-joburg.org.za.
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