Many shocked by municipal accounts
Many Merafong ratepayers have received municipal accounts that area clearly incorrect.
Having waited over four months for their municipal accounts, Merafong ratepayers are furious about those that have already arrived. The municipal financial system has been off since the end of last year due to a dispute between the municipality and a service provider. Faults on the accounts that started coming out this week showed the municipality’s problems with its financial system are still far from over.
Users flooded social media with complaints since the first batch after the crisis started came out this week.
“I have just received my account. The municipality has charged me R61,000 for water, but just my daughter and I live here,” a resident complained on 10 May.
“One cannot make anything of the account. My total amount does not look that bad, but my property tax is R607 more.
“The water meter reading is nowhere on the account, and refuse removal is R207 more. It is chaos,” another resident complained.
Some residents who have continued to pay their accounts are also upset because their payments do not reflect on the new bills. Others say the municipality had charged interest on money they did not know they owed.
“We do not expect to pay interest on our bills. We are not part of the problems they caused themselves. We have been paying for something we did not know till today,” a resident only known as Mary complained.
“The meter readings should have opened with the last readings on the old system. They did not.
“The readings on my statement include part of the previous month’s statement, which they had already accounted for!” another resident complained.
On Monday, the Herald asked the municipality what residents should do to sort out their incorrect accounts or whether they should wait until they receive all their outstanding accounts before asking for help. The publication did not receive a response by the deadline.
Meanwhile, the DA’s constituency head for Merafong, Ina Cilliers, said the party was meeting with the municipal manager, Mr Dumisani Mabuza, to try and sort out the problems.
The DA later advised residents with problems to dial the municipality’s switchbard number, 018 788 9500, and request to speak with the officials Joel Segakweng, Marlene Ahlers or Dewaldt Schmidt to secure an appointment.
