Joburg city confident billing crisis is over

Headway is being made in resolving the billing crisis. The City of Joburg's revenue department spokesman, Kgamanyane Maphologela, said yesterday that technical problems in the system, which have resulted in thousands of residents receiving problematic and incorrect bills, if any at all, "were being eliminated to ensure that residents are offered a better service".

The council's customer service centres had already contacted more than 80 percent of those affected by the billing crisis to resolve their issues.

The council had received 65 000 complaints relating to its billing system since August last year.

"City officials are working around the clock to resolve the remaining 13 612 queries," said Maphologela.

The city, he said, would continue offering a discount scheme to residents to bring some relief to customers who might have waited too long for the resolution of a query.

To date, 867 customers have applied to be considered for a discount, prompted by their logging a query.

"We are busy resolving these queries, after which the customers will make a payment or an arrangement to pay. Then the account will be considered for approval by the discount committee," he said.

The council sends out 1.2 million billing statements a month, of which 750 000 are sent to residential stands.

The executive director for the City of Joburg's revenue department, Gerald Dumas, said he would like to thank residents for being patient. "All attempts are being made to reach these customers, including sending notices to them of their balance owing on the now resolved account."

To find out more about the discount scheme, customers can visit the city's customer service centres to lodge a query, or they can phone the call centre on 011 375 5555. In all instances, a reference number will be provided to customers.

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