‘We are working on accounts problems,’ says Merafong

The Merafong City Local Municipality says that it is still trying to solve the problems experienced by some ratepayers with their accounts.

Many ratepayers were stuck with accounts that did not seem to make sense after the municipality’s financial system was down from the end of December 2023 to May this year. Although many people were able to sort out their accounts, some still experience problems.

“Many ratepayers, especially pensioners, are very unhappy. One received an outstanding account of R232 000 from the municipality. When she went to enquire, the officials told her that ‘this is the amount on the system’.

In the end this pensioner, who does not have an email address, had to pay R26 per page for each of the six pages printed out to find out where the problem was made with her account,” a resident of Fochville, Mr Corne van der Merwe, lamented recently. Another issue is that no ratepayers received their normal emailed accounts this month.

This is, as far as could be determined, due to a problem on the new municipal system.

“The municipality is working on the concerns raised regarding the unexpectedly high utility bills and the correspondence shared through our media platforms. All customers that experience such problems can contact our billing office. Alternatively, customers can send their readings accompanied by photos via email to billing@merafong.gov.za. The municipality understands the frustration and inconvenience this has caused, and sincerely apologize for any distress it may have caused,” said the municipality’s Marketing and Communications Manager, Mr Temba Fezani, when asked about the issues.