Being the law-abiding citizen she is, Sunward Park resident Carol Mason, after not receiving a municipal account, paid an amount of R3 250 by means of an EFT on August 5, to prevent her electricity from being cut off.
“I even paid a little extra – more than what my account normally is – just to be safe,” says Mason.
To her surprise, on August 17, Mason received a final notice dated August 11, showing that an amount of R585.32 was outstanding.
The following day she paid the allegedly outstanding amount and also sent proof of payment to the Ekurhuleni Metro.
However, despite all the effort she went to, her electricity was cut on August 19.
“My account is crystal clear – it has never been paid in bits and pieces, but has always been paid in full, if not overpaid, and by the due date reflected on the account,” Mason said.
“Where I have not received an account, I have paid what I believe to be a fair average and a bit more to cover the outstanding amount – as I did with the account in question.”
According to Ekurhuleni Metro spokesperson Themba Gadebe, an amount of R3 835.32 was due and payable on or before August 8.
“The client paid an amount of only R3 250, that was processed on August 7, and left a balance of R585.32,” he explains.
He says that, on August 12, the amount of R585.32 was still outstanding and by that time Mason’s account was already 30 days in arrears.
“In view thereof, a final notice was issued and rendered on that day, which the client allegedly only saw on August 17,”he adds.
“The disconnection notice was issued on August 18, the same day the client paid the arrears amount.”
However, says Gadebe, Mason’s payment was only updated onto the council’s financial system on August 20.
“It must be noted that clients who make use of third party payments should make these payments at least seven days before the applicable due date.”
Gadebe says this is also indicated on the reverse side of the account statements, under point 7.1.
“It must also be noted that clients who did not receive their accounts should make the necessary enquiries in this regard.”
Mason, however, asks how clients are supposed to access account information.
“When I phoned the call centre, I almost had a heart attack – that’s how angry I got,”she says. ”
”Either they don’t answer, or they put you on hold.”
She is adamant that the statement regarding the R585.32 that was allegedly 30 days in arrears is, in fact, incorrect, as that balance was only three days overdue.
“I always pay my account by EFT. I’ve never had a problem with any of my accounts I pay in this manner, both in business and personally,” she says.
Mason is still requesting a credit for the notification, disconnection and reconnection fees.
“They [the metro] must work out a decent system and advise all paying residents of Boksburg of a telephone number to call – that will be answered – to obtain the relevant details where an account has not been received,” says Mason.
The Advertiser is still awaiting a response from the metro in this regard.
Another Sunward Park resident, Caroline Lentz, experienced the same problem.
Lentz, who is a prepayment customer, received a final notice on August 13, stating that an amount of R817.26 is outstanding.
“Every month I pay my accounts on time; in the past I used to receive an SMS if my account was outstanding, but I don’t receive it anymore,” says Lentz.
According to Gadebe, the account in question was payable on or before August 8.
“However, a payment of R1 439 was processed five days later, on August 13. The applicable final notice was issued and rendered on August 12, while the said payment was processed one day after the final notice on August 13.” – @IschkeBoksburg
