To estimate her and her husband’s water usage despite dedicated meter readers coming round every month makes no sense to elderly residents Marie and Ronnie Pretorius.
In fact, the estimated amounts have put them in arrears of around R10 000 with the City of Johannesburg, and no end to the estimation is in sight. Through the help of their son, the couple have paid the municipality R3 000 to reconnect them but Marie says the problem will persist, hiking their bills, until the estimate-business is left and actual readings apply.
According to her their average monthly use is between 10 and 15 kilolitres, but estimations have been made of up to 90 kilolitres a month, “which is exorbitant”.
“We are pensioners and I can only really afford to pay up to R400 a month in water bills, which the municipality fails to appreciate.”
Taking into account the City of Johannesburg’s approved tariff hikes for 2014/2015, the Pretorius household can expect to spend between R150 and R282 a month on water, given their average usage.
In May this year their water meter was removed and later replaced with a plastic water meter with a new serial number, but no readings have been made on this meter.
“What’s the point of replacing it or in fact, reading meters, if the department lazily bases bills on estimates?” Marie asked.
She was furious when the water was cut off earlier this week (24 June) after she has reported the problem numerous times and has had numerous reference numbers to work with, but especially because there was no notice given to her.
Contradicting the United Nations Human Rights Council and the Constitution of South Africa that terms access to sufficient water a basic human right, the City of Johannesburg website states that services, including water, can and will be cut off when residents’ accounts reflect amounts are 30 days overdue.
In their artice ‘Failure to pay accounts’ they state “if the balance on your latest account shows an overdue amount, you have already been scheduled for a cut-off because your account is 30 days overdue.”
The article references the Credit Control and Debt Collection bylaws which, according to them, stipulates the City “is not compelled to provide a final demand notice or provide a 14-day grace period.
“The City may restrict or terminate the supply of water, electricity and refuse removal or discontinue any other service to any premises whenever a user of any service fails to make full payment on the due date or fails to make acceptable arrangements for the repayment of any services, rates or taxes or other amounts due,” the article further states.
It also states that outstanding amounts can only be settled at Thuso House Customer Service Centre in Jorrissen Street, Braamfontein.
Customer communications director Stan Maphologela requested further information and committed to commenting at a later stage.
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