On 18 August last year, Kew resident Charlotte de Kock had a pre-paid meter installed and since then, her municipal account has reflected an interim electricity meter reading.
De Kock said, “I converted to a prepaid meter to try and solve my problems and now this has been a problem too. The City of Joburg is now billing me, first for interim readings after the installation, and now, on my January account, I have an actual reading on my prepaid meter billing billed to me on the municipal account.”
De Kock has also endured another problem whereby an incorrect name appears on her billing account. “This has been happening for the past couple of years. The account registered is to my property, however, this account does not belong to me and is overdue. We have been to the offices in Braamfontein on numerous occasions and to date, we still receive disconnection notices for the account of another person [name withheld].
“I have now had my account rectified to reflect a prepaid meter, however, the issue of [the other person’s] bill still remains. I can only describe the incompetence of the City of Joburg as a joke. I have not received any correspondence or calls from the municipality regarding my issue.”
Irene Rugheimer Ward 81 councillor, was notified of the issue and said, “I have passed on the email address of the escalated billing department to De Kock, she must first try them and if no response, then I will try.”
The North Eastern Tribune contacted the City of Joburg’s Nkosinathi Nkabinde, the communication specialist for comment, who said he would look into the matter.
Read: City plagued by rampant theft of electricity meters
