Correct municipal invoice to be sent to owners of the complex

For months Springs resident Renette Kirsten has been battling to get someone from the metro to do a reconciliation of an account for a complex.

The account from the complex, situated in Petersfield Extension, has needed to be re-calculated for the past three years.

“Aurecon found we owed over R25 489.88 because the metro billed us incorrectly,” says Kirsten.

She claims the amount was paid because if they had defaulted, the electricity would have been cut.

Kirsten proved to Aurecon – after many phone calls, emails and eventually a meeting with them in Benoni -that they were wrong.

“They used the incorrect rates and were requested to correct the account.

“However, we were only refunded R1 258.81 of this amount,” she says.

She requested the municipality to do a proper reconciliation of their account but has received no response since February..

Kristen claims she received a phone call at one stage from the metro to say they work overtime on a Saturday and by the following Monday there would be some feedback.

But after months of reminding them and asking for feedback, Kirsten still has not received any response.

“I even did the reconciliation for them and yet there is still no feedback,” she says.

She claims this is totally unacceptable.

“They are quick to cut the power or to add penalties, but when it comes to correcting their invoice then we have to wait months without a reply,” says Kirsten.

Metro spokesperson Themba Gadebe says the metro is revisiting the corrections and expects them to be completed by September 19.

However, in another comment received from the metro he states: “We are currently reviewing both adjustments on the customer’s account.

“The correct invoice based on the correct tariffs will be sent to the customer as soon as the investigations are complete.”