Waste of time trying to resolve city bill queries

EDITOR – I enclose the latest Metro billing statement for the Body Corporate Cowrie Place.

I am mailing you this statement to make it clear to the Toti community that the Ethekwini Metro billing is way off base.

I specifically refer to the article on page 4 of the Sun edition dated 3 March ‘Query city bills with Ethekwini directly‘.

Note that:

• When you phone eThekwini you wait for the phone to be answered on average 30 minutes – that is if it is not picked up and put down in your ear.
• After connecting with an agent you are told to call the Southern Region meter testing facility where, yup you guessed it – the phone just rings, despite trying four different phone numbers at varying times during the day. And no, there is no way that the call centre agent will pass along the query.
• Don’t try to leave a message for the call centre agent to phone you back. That won’t work either. I know as I’ve tried several times.
• You can try and go to the Sizakala Centre and pay to have the meter tested but after waiting for three weeks, that’s a no go either.
• You can leave a post on the eThekwini Facebook page but that’s not going to do the trick either.
• You can try and e-mail Custocare but don’t hold your breath as you will die, because there will be no reaction. If you e-mail the Sizakala Centre that’s not going to work either.

I am putting this in writing to you the Editor as I believe the true situation has to be reported on and not the feeble report that appeared in the Sun – for as the communities voice it is surely not to much to expect that the true state of affairs be reported on and not the feeble reportage that appeared in the 3 March edition.

I look forward to you placing my comments for I am not the only person either in a personal or business capacity in this predicament and I strongly feel that eThekwini should be held to account instead of the Sun appearing as the municipality’s voice.

E VAN WYK

Treasurer: Cowrie Place Body Corporate