eThekwini residents fuming after being hit with bills for thousands of rand due to municipal 'error'

Durban residents are fuming after a hefty increase in their latest utility bill after the city implemented a “manual adjustment” to reverse water rebates it erroneously gave them.

The eThekwini municipality had been providing 6 kilolitres of free water per day to hundreds of residents since 2020 but is now claiming money back from them for the water.

Ratepayer groups say they have been inundated with complaints from angry residents about high water and electricity bills due to a manual adjustment dating back to 2020.

In one voice note, a resident who lives in the Asherville area, noticed an extra R6,000 charge for water and sanitation in his November statement. He said he queried this at a Sizakala centre.

“I was told there was some sort of system error where they were giving me 6 kilolitres of water free for three years and they’ve picked up on this error so now I’m being charged for it.”

He said the 6kl water rebate was for properties valued at less than R250,000 but now he has to pay for it, despite pointing out it was not his fault since he never asked for it.

“I’ve asked them to query it because I noticed that they’re still giving me this rebate again, even though they’re asking for this extra money, so it will continue to build up to another huge bill again.”

Imraan Bennett of the Sydenham and Asherville Ratepayers Association told TimesLIVE residents were having to pay for the municipality's “inefficiency”.

“People are getting disconnected for these high billings and inaccurate readings. They are the ones not doing their mathematics and equating them properly and we must be the ones doing appointments and making arrangements for their inefficiency.”

He said the bill of a pensioner living in an old age home had increased from R400 to R4,000 in one month.

Another resident received a R22,000 bill. 

“He has all the solar energy, even the geyser is not running on the electricity, and there’s only two of them at home. We’re having this issue across the board,” said Bennett.

He said the municipality was forcing residents to pay or make payment plans, or face being disconnected.

“We are suffering as consumers and then put through the pain of having to go to resolve these things as if we’re the ones in the wrong, rather than them making amends by putting [together] a team in their admin to quickly resolve it.”

Asad Gaffar, Westville Ratepayers Association (WRA) chairperson, said they were seeking legal advice.

On Wednesday, eThekwini Ratepayers Protest Movement (ERPM) wrote to eThekwini CFO Sandile Mnguni requesting an urgent meeting to seek clarity on the matter.

The movement, which represents at least 12 ratepayers groups in the city, also asked for written confirmation that members who pay by debit order would not be charged the amounts in their latest bills until the dispute is resolved. They gave Mnguni 24 hours to issue the confirmation.

ERPM also sought clarity on what happens if the property changed ownership during the three-year period and whether the Sizakala centres would have the capacity to handle the large volume of queries.

Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda told TimesLIVE they were addressing the issue on a case-by-case basis.

“Anyone who feels wronged must query at their nearest Sizakala centre. As long as they can show that it’s the city’s error then they will not be liable to pay those amounts (in the latest statements).”

He said those who have made queries should pay the rates they had been paying in the previous months while the dispute is being investigated, but he warned that the city’s debt relief for ratepayers who are in arrears is coming to an end in January.

Kaunda confirmed the city had not appointed a new meter reading contractor yet but indicated the issue should be resolved “very soon”.

“I understand that the process of appointing one is in its final stages. I can’t give specifics on when it will be resolved because I’m not party to the supply chain management (SCM) processes.”

TimesLIVE