LETTER: Tardy officials quick to cut off late payers
15 September 2022 - 05:00
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The eThekwini municipality. Picture: 123RF/LEON SWART
It is extremely sad to see how the eThekwini municipality has deteriorated from an efficient, financially well-off entity 30 years ago to the bankrupt, useless council it is today.
A few weeks ago its assets were seized due to nonpayment of a R43m debt, which has resulted in the collapse of the already compromised billing system. To compensate for lost revenue the city now prematurely disconnects consumers who are a few days behind because they have not received their accounts.
This, of course, will do wonders for the council coffers, thanks to the disconnection fee (R439) and the reconnection fee.
Adding salt to the wound is the inoperative call centre numbers that were dialled on a Saturday morning to try to resolve the situation — all for the sum of R768 that was just two or three days late.
I operate from a complex, and two council employees came to disconnect me and others. Months go by with no meter readings, but an account two days in arrears galvanises ineffectual staff into a frenzy of activity.
Maybe we should also start to protest against the lack of service delivery.
Tony Ball Gillitts
JOIN THE DISCUSSION: Send us an e-mail with your comments to letters@businesslive.co.za. Letters of more than 300 words will be edited for length. Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Writers should include a daytime telephone number.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
LETTER: Tardy officials quick to cut off late payers
It is extremely sad to see how the eThekwini municipality has deteriorated from an efficient, financially well-off entity 30 years ago to the bankrupt, useless council it is today.
A few weeks ago its assets were seized due to nonpayment of a R43m debt, which has resulted in the collapse of the already compromised billing system. To compensate for lost revenue the city now prematurely disconnects consumers who are a few days behind because they have not received their accounts.
This, of course, will do wonders for the council coffers, thanks to the disconnection fee (R439) and the reconnection fee.
Adding salt to the wound is the inoperative call centre numbers that were dialled on a Saturday morning to try to resolve the situation — all for the sum of R768 that was just two or three days late.
I operate from a complex, and two council employees came to disconnect me and others. Months go by with no meter readings, but an account two days in arrears galvanises ineffectual staff into a frenzy of activity.
Maybe we should also start to protest against the lack of service delivery.
Tony Ball
Gillitts
JOIN THE DISCUSSION: Send us an e-mail with your comments to letters@businesslive.co.za. Letters of more than 300 words will be edited for length. Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Writers should include a daytime telephone number.
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