Since the City of Johannesburg’s revenue blitz on 8 January, a number of defaulting customers have voluntarily begun making payments, totalling over R14 million to date.
This according to Executive Mayor Herman Mashaba who said that, so far, 26 account holders have come forward to make payments.
“These are new accounts which were not on our system. Now, these accounts will be making regular monthly payments to the City,” he said.
Currently, the City has over 2 000 accounts that owe just under R1 billion.
“The Auditor General has reported that for the 2016-17 financial year non-technical electricity losses amounted to [just over R1 billion] and were due to theft, bypass of meters, illegal de-calibration of meters and damaged meters.
“Ensuring that City services are paid for, especially by those who have the means to pay, is integral in capacitating the City to deliver quality and consistent services, especially to the poorest and most vulnerable of our residents.”
During the revenue blitz earlier this month, six people suspected of illegally connecting to the City’s municipal services were arrested and allegedly found to owe the City over R3 million.
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