Accounts: I need to apologise as better communication and explanation on the new tariffs and fees should have taken place. The announcements at council and during the public debates clearly did not provide most of you with the rationale for the increases, the implications as well as the restructured way in which the accounts, especially iro property tax is displayed. A more detailed explanation will be published in the Witbank news, while I will also arrange that the CFO again talk on EMalahleni FM this coming Thursday. We have briefed staff in the rates hall to deal with these questions and also will let the rates hall stay open in the next week until 1800. Furthermore, you can continue to send me emails and also to make appointments with the CFO, Ben Dorfling, who is best qualified, and more than willing to assist you in this matter. The intention of the rates are not to be punitive, rather, we are trying to ensure that everyone contributes according to their utilisation to the costs. In this respect we are trying to encourage people to register for metered water and metered electricity rather than using the current flat rates which in many cases are too low (even in some cases to high). The basic increases are between 10 and 12%, with property tax going up with 12%. But, different from the past, we are showing the gross tax on property, following by the rebates and the discount. The net amount below that is the one you should compare with last year. This is the correct way to show it, in the past we were not meeting accounting standards. The main bone of contention is that the unmetered water tariff went up from R200 odd to R801.00. The purpose is to encourage people to be metered and to conserve water, as many people are using much more than R200 worth of water. As many people have had water meters stolen or faulty, and the council has net repaired it in time, or many people did not worry of being unmetered as the low amount was acceptable to pay, we will once you request and provide us with the details and verify your details, arrange that a new meter is installed or the existing one activated. You will then be credited for the difference between the R801 and the actual measured average for the period until you receive your meter. We have already received more than 1 000 requests in this respect. If you have metered water and are paying accordingly, you do not have to react. In respect of electricity, most people are metered directly or by way of pre paid. Where you are not metered the unmetered tariff has increased from R900 to R1 500, for the same reasons as above. So, please carefully consider the information on your accounts, consider your choices, and if there is still issues, please come in and we will assist you. We specifically want to urge pensioners to come and see us, as in many cases real and substantial savings can be achieved in their cases. I trust this assist you for now.
Posted on: Sat, 03 Aug 2013 13:38:34 +0000
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