Sol admits billing error

SOL PLAATJE Municipality has admitted that some ratepayers have been incorrectly billed for electricity.

Residents complained that their electricity bills had skyrocketed since the tariff increases were approved in the budget.

Sol Plaatje Municipality spokesperson Thoko Riet said that July was the start of the financial year, where the approved tariffs to raise revenue for operations for 2022/23 came into effect as from July 1.

Tariffs for rates and services including water, sanitation and refuse - increased by four percent while electricity increased by 4.5 percent.

Riet indicated that this was below the National Energy Regulator of South Africa’s set guideline of a 7.47 percent increase.

“It has been discovered that there has been a system glitch that caused erroneous billing of rates for July in certain property categories. This will be corrected in the bill run of August for all those affected. We will enhance our vigilance in future to avoid such mathematical inconveniences,” said Riet.

She also encouraged those in arrears to visit the municipal offices for registration as indigents if they qualified.

“Settlement offers, discount packages and write-offs are available as per the policies … An arrangement can also be made where outstanding debt is paid off in affordable instalments. We have competent staff at all our service points who will humbly assist.”

Riet added that arrangements could also be made telephonically on the number 053 8306 000.