Decades-long battle still Randburg resident’s headache
JOBURG – Not only is a resident still receiving accounts for an expropriated property, he is also still getting accounts from another property that was in the name of a company that was liquidated almost two decades ago.
The City of Johannesburg’s Group Forensic and Investigation Services, also known as the anti-corruption unit, is investigating a decades-long complaint against the municipality by Randburg resident and pensioner, Michael Harris.
Harris has been in a lengthy battle, often seemingly one-sided, with the City. He claims that he is still receiving accounts for a property that was expropriated in 1976. But this is just one of a list of complaints Harris has, which are now being investigated by the anti-corruption unit.
Harris believes the City is committing fraud and feels he is continually being harassed.
Not only is he still receiving accounts for expropriated properties, he is also still getting accounts for other properties that were in the name of his company that was liquidated almost two decades ago.
“I have been getting threatening and harassing phone calls at 7pm from lawyers representing the City for accounts that do not exist,” he claimed.
A clearly frustrated Harris also has to sort out a water account he is still receiving after the municipality had cut off the supply to another property and a summons for another property of his that had been transferred in 2000.
Adding to this, Harris’ water at his home was cut off when the relevant account was still in dispute.
Both Harris and his wife, Meriel, have gone to the City’s headquarters in Braamfontein with mounds of paperwork, trying to sort out this apparent mess.
“We have met many extremely rude, aggressive, nasty senior managers and even directors at the City over many years,” he alleged.
“They are arrogantly dismissive towards us. They send us from pillar to post, clearly enjoying our discomfort and the inconvenience of having to visit the City over and over and over again – [only] to get nowhere.”
Last year, Harris went to the Joburg Ombudsman to request an investigation into the matter.
Vukile Madlala, the ombudsman’s spokesperson, replied to Randburg Sun, “The Office of the Ombudsman for the City of Johannesburg has not accepted a complaint from Michael Harris, as the matter is purely that of corruption, as it would seem in an email received in December. This means that the matter is outside our mandate and is referred to the anti-corruption unit of the City.”
The anti-corruption unit’s spokesperson Lucky Sindane has since met with Harris.
He told the Randburg Sun that the case was currently being investigated by them. The investigating officer, he said, would provide constant feedback to the complainant.
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