POLOKWANE – Residents pay for basic services from the municipality, which they claim they are not getting.
A major problem residents have with the municipality is incorrect water meter readings.
According to some residents, the water meter readings on their municipal accounts do not agree with the actual readings on their water meters.
A local businesswoman, Marina Steenkamp, said she struggled with the municipality for months to rectify the incorrect water meter readings on her municipal account.
“I have five water meters registered in my name. Four are for business use and the other for my home, but none of the water meter readings are correct on my municipal account.
“I have reported the matter to the municipality and to the company the municipality uses to take water meter readings, but no one can help me.
“Instead, I am sent from one person to the next, not getting answers or a solution to my problem,” Steenkamp said.
According to Steenkamp, the problem started in 2012 but was resolved, until last year when the problem started again.
“In 2012, the water meter readings were wrong and I made arrangements to take water meter readings and send it through to the company which the municipality contracted for water meter readings.
“They would also come randomly to monitor whether my readings are correct or not. This resolved the problem, but the problem started again at the end of last year when the municipality changed their outsource company for the water meter readings,” Steenkamp said.
Tidimalo Chuene, a municipal spokesperson, said the municipal customer care and billing unit would investigate the matter.
“We will look into the accounts and if estimated, obtain actual readings and correct the accounts in question accordingly,” Chuene said.
All billing issues can be reported to (015) 290 2030 / 2037 / 2170 or by sending an e-mail to BillingC@polokwane.gov.za.
