Residents of Riverpark Phase One are concerned about threats issued by city council to take legal action against those defaulting on paying their water and other bills.
Some of the bills have escalated to R90 000 after residents claimed they stopped making payments for genuine reasons, which they had reported to the city council as far back as 2010.
Councillor for the area, Mokgadi Radebe, said the residents’ bills were astronomical and always fluctuating. “Sometimes, [the bills] are reduced even when no payments have been made,” Radebe said.
She added that some residents who don’t even have water meters are billed.
“This matter is of serious concern, especially for pensioners, some of whom have been threatened by debt collectors that they stand to lose their pensions to offset the outstanding amount,” Radebe said. She added that some residents have been told that they risk being blacklisted. Radebe said the problem was not of the residents’ making and affects those in Phase One, and not Phase Two and Three who have not been billed ever since they occupied the houses. “This may create an impression of preferential treatment of others, and could divide and raise tension between residents,” she said.
Radebe stated that she had raised the matter with the regional director’s office and urged other senior civic and political leaders to assist in resolving the matter. “This will be in the interest of revenue accruing to the council, as residents are willing to pay. [It will also] ease the tension existing between residents and council.”
She suggested that the city council installed new meters in every home, started billing afresh and conduct water conservation awareness campaigns.
A resident in Phase One, Mary Masindi who can’t read her water meter as it is covered with soil, wondered how her bill had risen to R45 000. “I have no swimming pool or garden to have accumulated such a bill, which needs to be justified through meter readings.”
Another resident, pensioner David Murulani said, “We are keen to pay for services like everyone, but the billing should be done in the right way. We want our houses to be safe and secure for our children to take over and not to have to face legal action for a problem not caused by their parents.”
Details: Councillor Mokgadi Radebe; 076 792 9875
