‘Logging a complaint correctly will speed up service’
It is important to know the correct phone numbers to call in an emergency, especially when your water or electricity meters act up, or you do not have water or electricity.
POLOKWANE – If the new smart electricity and water meters have been installed at your residence and they are not operational, there is a dedicated support centre number which home-owners must call. Logging a complaint at the municipality will only lead to delays in response time, or even no response, as a contractor recently found out.
He phoned an employee at the municipality, who apparently did not log his calls at the correct desk, and he waited around three months to have his complaints about leaking meters attended too. He then contacted Review after he didn’t get any response from the municipality despite him phoning them two to three times a week. He had old meters installed on the construction site by the municipality as well as new smart meters on a portion of the development which was recently built upon.
“When the municipality did come out, they only fixed one leak and told me the others were not on their log,” he said.
Upon investigation, Review was informed the call centre could not find any calls logged on their system by the person in question nor the cell phone number he called from. The call centre called him back and spoke to the customer, who explained there was only one prepaid meter at the unit which had a leak and it had been fixed, but the other meters remained unfixed.
“The remaining leaks were on the old meters which are the responsibility of the water department at the municipality. I have forwarded the customer’s details and address to the water department. I will get further feedback from their office. Unfortunately the customer didn’t call the support centre number before and I requested him to save the number so if any meter problems arise in the future, he can call the support centre directly for assistance,” Elizabeth Rancho from the call centre informed Review.
The support centre handles any problem encountered by residents with the new smart meters.
“We are the support line for the smart meter project for the municipality. We deal with any smart metering query with regards electricity and water. Our number is 087 350 2770 and the community can call anytime, or send an SMS to 32195. They can also send a ‘please call me’ and the support centre will return the call,” Rancho added.
For water and electricity problems or leakages other than those of the new meters, residents can call the municipality for water and sanitation-related issues at (015) 290 2376/2473/2629 or (015) 290 2490/2705 for electricity issues. Road matters can be reported at (015) 290 2473/2478/2477 and the municipality’s fire and disaster services can be contacted at (015) 290 2403/2480. The Traffic Department and control centre’s numbers are (015) 290 2457/2458 or 2497.
