Many residents have contacted Randburg Sun to voice their concerns over increases they have noticed on their municipal bills.
Some residents claimed that their new monthly bills have increased by as much as 75 per cent, which is not anywhere near the percentage as proposed in the City’s draft 2020/21 budget.
Recently, the City introduced these tariff increases albeit at a reduced rate on 14 July.According to the City’s director of communications and stakeholder relationships, Kgamanyane Maphologela, these increases were reduced from the originally proposed percentages to help with the impact that the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent national lockdown have caused.
“The enforcement of the new tariffs comes after the Johannesburg Council recently approved the metropolitan’s 2020/21 budget, tariffs and the integrated development plan following a delay in the approval of the budget,” said Maphologela.
Following the approval, a decision was made to reduce the initially proposed rates.nProperty rates that were meant to increase by 4.9 per cent will now increase by 4 per cent.nWater that was meant to increase by 8.6 per cent will now increase by 6.6 per cent.
Electricity tariffs that were meant to increase by 8.10 per cent have been reduced to 6.23 per cent. The City has also decided to withdraw the proposed fixed charges of R200 for residential pre-paid electricity and the R400 for commercial. “The recent budget approval delay resulted in the billing system being briefly suspended for rebooting, to launch a new financial year with the updated tariffs. The delayed system transition into a new financial year, which falls within the ongoing Covid-19 lockdown, saw billing only commence two working days after the Johannesburg Council’s approvals,” said Maphologela.
What will come as some relief to some ratepayers is that billing for July will be delayed, and no penalties will be imposed on ratepayers in this regard. The City further reiterated that any person who felt that they have been subjected to unfair billing, was welcome to visit any one of their customer service centres to query their billing or phone Joburg’s call centre to lodge a query.
Maphologela also ensured that any pretermination of service notices that were issued since the beginning of the lockdown would also not be executed, in-line with the Covid-19 regulations to not cut off municipal services during the period.
“The City further appeals to ratepayers who may be struggling to meet their financial obligations that may include payment of municipal accounts to contact the municipality’s Credit Control Department for assistance with suitable relief measures to ensure their accounts remain up to date,” concluded Maphologela.
MMC for Finance Jolidee Matongo added, “We wish to appeal to the people of Johannesburg to practise patience and understanding when visiting our customer centres. We encourage residents who can access our services online to do so using either email to send queries or our social media platforms to log technical calls, or even use arranged third parties such as retail outlets to pay municipal accounts.”
Details:
- City of Johannesburg Credit Control Department – creditcontrol@joburg.org.za
- Call centre – 0860 Joburg or 0860 56 28 74
- Waterfall CSC – regionArevenue@joburg.org.za
- Randburg Civic Centre – regionBrevenue@joburg.org.za
- Roodepoort Civic Centre and City Hall – regionCrevenue@joburg.org.za
- Jabulani Civic Centre – regionDrevenue@joburg.org.za
- Sandton Regional Office – regionErevenue@joburg.org.za
- Thuso House CSC – regionFrevenue@joburg.org.za
- Lenasia Civic CSC – regionGrevenue@joburg.org.za
