Mashaba addresses city’s billing issues

1. About three years ago, the City of Joburg installed a new digital meter in our home in Silvamonte. To date, this meter has not worked, and we are receiving high monthly bills. In May, a meter reader came to our house, checked the meter and told us it is not working but there are no spares for this meter.

City of Joburg told me to pay what I would normally pay, as I am being billed an estimate. Our account is very high and City of Joburg cannot sort this out.

Are you going to get your department to sort this out or will this complaint just fall on deaf ears? You need to sort out the billing crisis in Joburg urgently. RM Singer.  

Mayor Mashaba: Dear Mr Singer, thank you for writing to me. I completely understand your frustration with the billing issue. I would like to reassure you that we are working on a long-term solution for the billing crisis.

As the city, we acknowledge that a big part of the billing problem lies within the metered services (water and electricity) space. Joburg Water and City Power provide meter readings which are then uploaded into the billing system to generate a bill. As the turnaround strategy is implemented, the Revenue Shared Services Centre department responsible for billing will take over the meter-reading function and will include the auditing of 10% of the process.

This process will stop situations like the one you have raised, where faulty meters result in estimations for long periods of time. If you could please send us your contact details and account number or reference number, we can arrange to have the meter investigated and the issue resolved.

2. Sir, I am a pensioner and have no option but to turn to you for assistance. I have been to all relevant departments seeking assistance on this matter. I am of the opinion that no one can be trusted, hence I am turning to you, sir.

The fraud and corruption around Johannesburg Community Taxi Association is very serious and escalating daily. I reported this matter to the Johannesburg Roads Agency, registrar’s office of the department of transport in 2016, was then sent to forensic investigators to have them investigate this matter.

Investigators have not given me any feedback on this matter and this led me to seek a meeting with the MMC in February.

Although the MMC was handed a set of documented evidence on this subject in November 2016 and the matter was brought to her attention in August 2016, the evidence was also handed to all relevant departments.

I am requesting that you please intervene as a matter of urgency; as the chairperson of this association is every week adding vehicles to the rank without legal operating licences and they are operating on the roads daily.

I would highly appreciate it sir if you could intervene on my behalf, as I am a veteran in this industry and association. Concerned Resident of Ward 69/82.

Mayor Mashaba: Thank you for your message; it is indeed unfortunate that this matter has, to date, not been resolved.

I have spoken to the MMC of Transport about this issue and she has assured me that the matter has been forwarded to provincial department of transport, as well as to the head of the city’s forensic investigations unit, General Shadrack Sibiya, for further investigation.

The investigation is indeed under way, and we will communicate once the investigation is complete. Rest assured that this administration will not tolerate any form of corruption.

We will ensure that those who engage in fraud and corruption face the full might of the law. We ask for your patience in this regard, and commend you for having the courage to be a whistle-blower.