Govan Mbeki Municipal residents complain over high municipal bills
The Water Research Levy was added to consumer accounts to assist refurbishing the ageing infrastructure, according to Council.
HIGHVELD – Govan Mbeki Municipal residents were shocked to receive their water and electricity accounts that showed unfamiliar charges.
They were charged a Water Research Levy and Electricity Meter Rental in August and September.
Some residents said they first thought these were once-off charges, but became worried when they realised they were still charged for these levies this month.
A resident from Kinross said she went to the municipality in Secunda to enquire about the charges, but no one was able to provide answers.
“I was surprised to find that the following month it was no longer called Electricity Meter Rental, but Electricity Network Charge,” said the resident.
Some residents said they are worried that they are paying more while there are lots of water pipe breakages and it takes the municipality a long time to fix them.
“Who is paying for all the water that flows everywhere because of water pipe bursts?” asked Mr Simon Mofikeng, also a Kinross resident.
Mr Bheki Kubheka, acting head of Marketing and Communication of the Govan Mbeki Municipality, said the Water Research Levy was implemented for the purpose of recovering the costs of water resource management in each water management authority in the country and Govan Mbeki Municipality is one of them.
“The Water Research Levy is charged by the Water Board (Rand Water) on bulk purchases made by the municipality and the cost charged by Rand Water to the municipality is transferred to the bill of the consumers based on the fact that water meters supplied to consumers remain the property of the municipality.
“This amount is added to assist in refurbishing the ageing infrastructure of portable water material and replacing old pipes.
“The council bears the costs of replacing faulty water meters.
“The change in the Electricity Fee Charges (Electricity Meter Rental) to (Electricity Network Charge) was a result of incorrect naming on the Financial Management System and thus the correction.
“This fee (Electricity network charge) is charged by the energy producer Eskom and as a result the cost is transferred to the consumers for the service.
“It must be noted that these fees are not applicable to indigent consumers.”
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