Highlands North resident Bruno Galletti is at his wits’ end with the constant overcharging on his municipal account.
“This has been going on since 2000, with the people on the top not having any idea about what is actually going on. I am being charged around R800 for supposed rates with no explanation at all. All I get told is that I will be refunded, but no other information,” he said.
According to Galletti, the matter has yet to be resolved with additional charges still being billed. This despite Galletti decreasing his electricity consumption by using a generator for the past two months and frequent power cuts in the area. “It makes no difference whether it is the Democratic Alliance or the African National Congress – it’s all a nightmare with nobody taking responsibility and nobody fixing anything.
“I have tried countless times to get hold of the City manager, but he must work with the Mafia as I can never get hold of that person.” With no solution in sight, Galletti will soon approach attorneys to open a case.
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“I have also been saying constantly how dangerous the corner of Meyer and 6th Avenue is, there have been never-ending accidents and many people being injured.”
Galletti said he approached a Metro police officer a few years back about this problem. “[I spoke to the officer] outside my house after the usual accident on the corner of Meyer and 6th. After I asked the [officer] what they were going to do about this continuous carnage, I was then aggressively told to get back in my house or I will be arrested,” he alleged.
Ward 74 councillor David Fischer has passed on Galletti’s municipal account to a senior person in the revenue department and is awaiting his feedback. Referring to the dangerous corner, Fischer said, “There are a number of concerned and active residents in 6th Avenue in Highlands North who are working together with me to eradicate this high accident zone.”
Metro police and the municipality were contacted by the North Eastern Tribune, however, no comments were received at the time of publication.
When asked about Galletti’s allegations of police intimidation, Elliot Tshivhase of the Norwood Police Station said, “I am not aware of this threatening [sic] that took place as there was no case number, and in terms of the high accident area, Mr Galletti should go to the Johannesburg Roads Agency and arrange for [any] necessary signage that is needed in that area.”
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