Refuse: Area Cleansing Levy R5.70.In March my Municipal account only reflects an amount for Refuse: Domestic 240l BIN of R124.74 but my total amount payable has been increased by R5.70 without explanation.
In April my Municipal account again only reflects an amount for Refuse: Domestic 240l BIN but this has now been increased to R130.44.In March my water meter was read but the electricity meter was not read and a high interim amount was charged.
In April this amount was reversed and the charge was calculated on total consumption for two months. These anomalies raise a few questions:
1. Was the cleansing levy just a surreptitious guise for an unannounced increase in a Municipal charge?
2. Is it legal to charge amounts for services not disclosed on an account?
3. Has the refuse removal amount been increased without advising customers?
4. Has the Cleansing Levy just been abolished?
5. Is fiddling with accounts acceptable?
6. With regard to the interim Electricity charge and reversal how do I know that I was charged the right tariff for my consumption for each month if the charge per unit is not reflected?
7. I believe that the unit charges for water and sewerage should also be reflected on accounts because of the manipulation my account has been subjected to.
These problems are now in addition to problems with my January account. While I had to accept the explanation for this I am still not sure I was charged at the right tariffs.
This raises another question. Why are tariffs charged for services a secret? In this case, I will not request the assistance of a Councillor as after recent comments by them in your newspaper they appear to be under strain to do the jobs for which they are being paid.
Confused Rate Payer,
R. A. Lautenbach
