The Municipality issued a media release on 4 October 2021 to confirm the problems that several ratepayers experienced with the September 2021 accounts, specifically with regard to meter readings and the resultant consumption charged on some of these consumer accounts.
The Finance Department is handling all the queries received regarding the unusually high municipal accounts.
Queries received that needed adjustments were attended to promptly.
It should be borne in mind that the consumption indicated on most of the accounts, were in fact correct. Only certain amounts on these accounts, and in specific affected municipal areas, were high because meters had not been read the previous month. It then followed that units consumed during August 2021 were only charged on the September account, thus resulting in high/er September accounts.
As can be seen in the example below, (a comparison of the consumption over the same period in 2020) in these instances the consumption was correct and hence amounts due are payable. Where it was indeed necessary, corrections were made related to the application of the sliding scale to charge the costs for consumption.
Council is however aware that, as most of our ratepayers are working on a tight budget, it may be difficult to provide full payment of the September account and for this reason council will consider a recommendation at the council meeting to be held on 28 October 2021, to raise no interest on these amounts directly related to the fluctuation in consumption charges, caused by the delayed actual readings in August and September 2021, for a period of six months.
Clients are thus urged to make arrangements to pay off their accounts over the six month period should they be unable to pay the full amount as reflected on the September 2021 account.
Affected ratepayers are again advised to contact the Municipality immediately to resolve any outstanding issues. Please contact the Finance Department on 028 313 8000 or enquiries@overstrand.gov.za.
Our sincere apologies are once again offered for the inconvenience caused. Please be assured that we are rectifying this issue expeditiously. Council is also aware of rumours being spread maliciously that the higher accounts are a result of the illegal electricity connections in some informal areas and wish to state categorically that this is a lie. The opinion is held that these lies are spread to gain votes.
