The City of Johannesburg is embarking on an aggressive revenue collection drive this festive season, targeting high defaulters to collect money owed in rates and services.
The city is going after every defaulter on municipal services to recoup a staggering R52b in municipal debt.
Kgamanyane Maphologela, director for customer communications at the City of Johannesburg, said revenue collection is the backbone of the city to enable sustained service delivery to better the lives of more than 6 million residents who depend daily on the availability of municipal services in Johannesburg.
“High defaulting properties are on the city’s red list and earmarked for services termination due to their perpetual nonpayment. There are serious repercussions that come with termination of the supply of water and or electricity, which include associated additional costs to the customer.
“Once services have been cut off, the owner must contact the city for a reconnection request. The city expects the defaulter to pay the full outstanding balance or a 50% deposit of the outstanding amount to enter into a payment agreement before services can be reconnected.
“At worst, there is what the city calls level three cut-off. This involves the removal of the city’s meter from the property of a defaulting customer. Once this is done, the restoration of the terminated service will require the customer not only to pay what is owed but also for the installation of the new meter.
“The city cautions its customers to pay their municipal accounts when it is due to avoid termination of services and additional charges associated with it.”
Kgamanye said revenue collected by the city helps with the delivery of services to the doorstep of our customers.
“The more than 900 000 properties in Johannesburg need to be supplied with water, electricity, refuse removal and a functioning sewage system. The infrastructure used for bulk services requires maintenance. All of this will not be possible if the city does not have money.
“Customers who wish to make payment arrangements may do it at customer walk-in centres or contact the city’s Credit Control Department by emailing them at creditcontrol@joburg.org.za.
“Paying your municipal account on time all the time is the right thing to do,” said Kgamanye.
Customers may pay using any of these methods to contact the city:
• e-Joburg portal: www.e-joburg.org.za
• EasyPay, facilitating a quick payment option at many shops that you visit, including Pick ‘n Pay and Shoprite Checkers
• Debit orders
• Direct deposits at major banks
• ATMs
• Internet and cell phone banking
• SA Post Office
• Any council pay-point (customer service centre) and for the southern region these include:
Eureka House (corner of Marlborough Street and Rosettenville Road); Wemmerpan; Lenasia Civic Centre (corner of Rose Avenue and Eland Street); Lenasia Ext 2; Thuso House (61 Jorissen Street), Braamfontein and Ennerdale Ext 9 (corner of Katz Road and Smit Street, Ennerdale).
