Residents trash refuse collection charges

Residents are complaining that they are being charged more than the fixed monthly rate per wheelie bin for their refuse collection.

The 2017/18 tariff schedule for waste collection services in Ekurhuleni became effective on July 1.

According to the schedule, the new monthly charge per wheelie bin for properties larger than 300sqm is R150.92, up from R140.39 in the 2016/7 financial year.

The new monthly charge per wheelie bin for properties smaller than 300sqm is R122.35.

Despite this, several residents have complained that they are being charged more than they should for their waste collection.

Carol Thompson, a Benoni Agricultural Holdings resident, has sent several queries to the metro’s finance department, questioning the amounts reflected on her municipal bills.

“On my latest statement the amount has now been increased to R261.41 plus R36.60 VAT; a total amount of R298.01 which is more than double the R140.39 that was stated would be the charges for one wheelie bin,” said Thompson.

“Hopefully this fiasco will be resolved sooner rather than later. I believe everyone is totally sick of all the problems.”

Johan Jansen van Nieuwenhuizen from Northmead has not yet received a wheelie bin, meaning his refuse is not collected, but he pays a monthly fee for refuse collection.

Jansen van Nieuwenhuizen said over and above the problem that his refuse is not collected he is being charged more than the R140.39 (now R150.92) per month which, according to the tariff schedule, is the basic fee to be paid when a property has one or no wheelie bins.

He pays R188.34 per month and does not want to stop the payments, as he fears his electricity will be cut off.

A Benoni Small Farms resident said she pays R277.21 per month for one wheelie bin.

The woman, who did not want to be named, said when she picked up her wheelie bin at the Benoni Waste Depot, she asked what the costs would be and was told it would not change from the amount she had been paying before, which is R277.21 per month.

“I was told that it was worked out according to the size of one’s property,” she said.

“I asked how to cancel the refuse service and was told that I could not and had to use their service.”

The resident brought recent articles, which explained how the wheelie bins do away with refuse charges being based on property size, to the metro’s attention, but was again told by employees that she has to pay based on property size.

“Some clarity would be appreciated regarding the cost of the wheelie bins and being forced to use a service which I feel one should be able to cancel if one did not wish to make use of it,” she concluded.

The metro was asked for comment regarding the matter on July 14, but none was forthcoming by July 21.