The
city’s
finance
manager,
Euthera
Siziba,
said
residents
should
register
their
email
addresses
and
mobile
numbers
so
they
can
receive
electronic
bills
and
access
their
accounts
from
home.
Speaking
at
a
residents’
meeting
at
Pumula
North
Hall
on
Wednesday,
Siziba
said
the
council
was
shifting
towards
a
paperless
system
to
make
it
easier
for
people
to
view
and
settle
their
accounts.
“We
are
doing
this
to
help
residents
not
to
travel
to
city
council
offices
but
do
it
in
the
comfort
of
their
homes,”
he
said.
Residents
will
receive
their
bills
through
email
or
messaging
platforms,
while
those
without
WhatsApp
or
email
accounts
will
receive
them
via
SMS,
he
added.
The
move
comes
as
the
council
struggles
with
low
payment
levels
in
some
suburbs.
Siziba
said
residents
in
Pumula
owed
the
municipality
about
ZiG34
million
(around
$1.3m).
“About
80%
of
residents
are
not
paying
their
bills,
while
only
20%
are
paying,”
he
said,
warning
that
the
shortfall
was
affecting
service
delivery.
He
urged
residents
with
outstanding
balances
to
approach
the
council
to
arrange
payment
plans,
which
would
allow
them
to
make
an
initial
deposit
and
then
settle
the
remaining
amount
over
time.
“Payment
plans
are
structured
according
to
one’s
ability
to
pay,”
he
said.
Siziba
also
outlined
the
council’s
billing
structure,
which
includes
fixed
charges
for
services
such
as
water,
sewerage,
refuse
collection
and
property
rates.
For
homes
measuring
200
square
metres
or
less,
the
fixed
water
charge
is
$2.25,
sewerage
$0.82,
refuse
collection
$7.43
and
property
rates
$5.23,
he
said.
Variable
charges
are
then
added
depending
on
consumption.
He
noted
that
fixed
charges
still
apply
even
if
households
do
not
receive
water,
and
advised
residents
to
repair
leaking
pipes
and
ensure
taps
are
properly
closed
to
avoid
high
bills.
Siziba
also
said
the
council
was
currently
facing
a
shortage
of
water
meters
after
some
were
stolen.
“If
residents
have
money,
they
can
buy
their
meters
and
bring
them
for
testing
at
the
water
works
together
with
their
invoice,
and
the
money
will
be
transferred
to
their
accounts,”
he
said.
Ward
17
councillor,
Sikhululekile
Moyo,
warned
that
residents
who
repeatedly
fail
to
pay
their
bills
could
face
legal
action.
“Pay
your
bills
every
month
to
avoid
confiscation
of
your
houses
by
the
council,”
she
said.
She
added
that
the
council
would
first
send
SMS
reminders,
make
phone
calls
and
issue
written
notices
before
taking
further
legal
steps.
Post
published
in:
Business