LOCAL councillors and ratepayers’ associations have shared their thoughts after the eThekwini Municipality announced that they now have trained water meter readers.
Gugu Sisilana, the eThekwini Municipality’s spokesperson, said the meter readers will be deployed to collect accurate data to ensure residents are billed correctly.
She said the water and sanitation unit has trained eight teams, each consisting of 13 members, and retrained 55 in-house meter readers.
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“This follows the expiration of the old meter reading contract which resulted in the City having to rely on estimated readings to bill residents.
“Accounts were being estimated based on the previous months’ consumption. As soon as all the meter readers have completed training, they will begin taking actual readings. The training for meter readers took about two weeks, and we anticipate that the actual readings will begin this December,” she said.
Sisilana said that once the readings are done, the consumption charges will be adjusted accordingly.
“Where overbilling has occurred, accounts will be on a credit status if overpayments were done. The credit will cover the next bill, depending on the amount credited, versus the amount billed,” she said.
Sislana said, “The new meter readers have also been trained in the new capturing technology which will allow the City to not only track the movements of readers but also take images of the actual readings,” she said.
Gavin Hegter, Ward 64 councillor, said it was great news for residents to hear that water and electricity meter readings will resume.
“The failure by the City to read meters has had severe consequences for many residents. The estimation of accounts was not accurate, which resulted in inflated accounts.
“Although the municipality has various platforms for residents to submit their meter readings, these vary and often don’t work. This is one of the very few positives in our city that we can take into the new year,” he said.
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Zoë Solomon, Ward 66 councillor, said that regular meter readings mean consumers are able to pay according to their usage.
“Residents don’t have to be surprised or alarmed after months of no readings and then being billed for thousands of rands. It is the duty of the City to provide accurate readings that match the effort put in by so many residents who religiously submit the meter readings monthly only to be billed guesstimations.
“However, it will take public participation and communication for the meter readers to be trusted and allowed onto properties where necessary due to the high crime rates in the suburb.
“Residents are reminded that meter readers will carry identification and should be encouraged to cooperate with the rollout of the new system,” she said.
Norman Gilbert, Bluff Ratepayers’ and Residents’ Association’s chairperson said, “I am encouraged to hear that the City has trained dedicated water meter readers who are now ready to be deployed. This will hopefully eliminate the dreaded estimated billing that causes immense stress for consumers who are either being overcharged and left out of pocket or, even worse, are being undercharged resulting in a huge outstanding amount when the reading is finally taken and the account is updated.”
Richard Hawkesthorn, Peninsula Ratepayers’ Association’s PRO said, “It is a good service the City is doing, and they are also creating jobs. It will alleviate a lot of frustration, especially from residents who receive exorbitant bills. However, the City must ensure that they have the correct identity badges in order for residents to identify them,” he said.
Heidi Geyer, Montwood Ratepayers’ Association’s treasurer, said that in the past, this way worked and there weren’t many problems.
“Unfortunately, nowadays, there are incompetent people employed who don’t care as long as they have a job. Convincing people they will be trained would be an insult because they don’t have money to sort out everything else that is wrong in the country. So many measures are put in place time and time again, but if it is not managed correctly, you will sit back at the drawing board, back to square one,” she said.
Residents can also continue to take a picture of their monthly water meter readings and upload them on the eThekwini Mobile App or via eServices at eservices@durban.gov.za for their actual readings to be captured.
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