Billing bungle sees man charged for property he doesn’t own
Ex-Toti resident gets wrong rates bill for four years.
DESPITE numerous complaints, eThekwini Municipality continues to erroneously bill an ex-Toti resident for rates on a property he doesn’t and has never owned.
John Wright, who moved from Toti three years ago, said he has received the bill since before he moved. The amount owed was originally R26,000, but in four years it has grown to R60,203.45. “The bill is for 3 Anna Scheepers Road, Shulton Park,” he said. “I don’t even know where that is. I have contacted the municipality four times over the years to get them to stop sending me the bill. However, nobody comes back to me and every month the bill arrives with interest added on.”
John previously lived in Entombeni Drive. He now lives in Pinetown, but has kept his PO Box in Warner Beach. “My last resort was to inform the Sun of my problem and hope this issue can finally be resolved.”
The Sun contacted the municipality on Monday, 19 August and forwarded the account number on the invoice. “The account in question is registered to a Mr Pitchers. The municipality has been trying to contact the owner since 2009,” said municipal spokesman, Thabo Mofokeng. “The municipality has noted the address and billing address do not correspond and John Wright will not receive the bill anymore.”
