The eThekwini Ratepayers and Residents’ Association (Erra) has come out strongly against a plan proposed by the eThekwini Municipality to address a water billing error that has saddled residents with additional water charges running into thousands of rand.
EThekwini Ratepayers and Residents’ Association chairperson Ish Prahladh said their organisation, “which represents 65 affiliates in eThekwini, does not support the proposal by the municipality whereby residents pay an amount of R180 per month in respect of the bill adjustments.”
The municipality said in a statement that it had met with the eThekwini Ratepayers’ Protest Movement to address anger and find a solution to this billing error. The error occurred after the municipality supplied water to homes that did not qualify for free basic water.
When it was discovered, the municipality sought to recover the money from residents, sparking outrage.
The City proposed a number of options to address the problem including a payment plan.
In the statement, City manager Musa Mbhele said the Municipality proposed capping the amount payable by affected ratepayers to accommodate those who were not able to pay the full amount.
This means they will ring-fence the debt and not allow any interest to accrue, and no services will be cut off due to the billing adjustment provided that an acknowledgement of debt has been signed. The city will further allow ratepayers to settle the debt over 36 months or until the full amount is paid if the amount due is more than the average of approximately R6000.
Mbhele said they will standardise the debt which means that those affected will pay an additional R180 per month instead of the full amount now.
Prahladh said: “The Municipality is infringing on the Constitutional rights of the residents. Furthermore, the 6kl free water programme was meant to benefit indigent residents.
“The eThekwini municipality is not applying a means test to determine which residents are really indigent. We have several pensioners and unemployed residents who are indigent and cannot afford basic necessities. These factors are being overlooked and the residents are being compelled to pay the shocking bill. Erra will be challenging the municipality’s proposal,” he concluded.
The Mercury