Z
outpansberger
2 Oktober 2020
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Bietjie bederf vir Jaype te midde van strawwe behandeling - bladsy 2
Jaargang 36 Vol.39
Big plans for private hospital following new partnership - page 3
ISSN 2409-2835
Audited Distribution Figures
39
9 772409 283001
Inflated monthly bills Is the municipality ripping consumers off?
between 51 and 350 KWH and costs R1,37 per unit. Consumption between 351 and 600 KWH Electricity bills sent out by the Makhado costs R1,9372, while anything above 601 KWH Municipality over the last couple of months will cost the consumer R2,3111 per unit. have had consumers fuming. The August bills If the municipality takes meter readings at seemed to be highly inflated and not only regular intervals, the consumption will be fairly because of tariff increases. What has now predictable, and most consumers will not move transpired is that the municipality’s meter into the “expensive” blocks. If, however, the mereadings were taken over lengthier periods, ter readings are taken over longer periods and causing consumers to pay for consumption on no “averaging” is done, this will push consumers incorrect tariff scales. into usage blocks with higher tariffs. Several consumers contacted the newspaper Based on an analysis of a few consumer over the past couple of weeks, complaining about accounts, meter readings in certain parts of town their high electricity bills. One such consumer, were done on 31 January, 2 March, 21 April, 14 Duncan Campbell, showed us his meticulous May, 4 June, and 5 August. In most cases this calculations, indicating exactly meant that consumers received The problem lies in the a fairly moderate bill for July, how and when consumers were overcharged. In his case, the different “blocks” of the but then it almost trebled in irregular readings meant that sliding scale used by the August. he was overcharged by R555 A further effect of not taking municipality to calculate meter readings in July, is that over the past couple of months, which is quite excessive for a the electricity consumption. the specific month’s consumpfamily of two. tion was charged at the inAnother consumer, Johann Hammann (Sr), creased tariffs, which came into effect in August. wrote a letter to the municipality in which he “This is illegal and tantamount to fraud,” said demands that the municipality address the prob- Johann Hammann (Sr), who is also a practising lem immediately. “This … resulted that the bill of attorney. He owns more than one property in 20 August 2020 for electricity consumption was Louis Trichardt, and he reckons he has been grossly inflated, resulting that the KWH tariffs overcharged by several thousand rand over the were wrongly calculated and at the wrong rates. past couple of months. In his letter to the municIf the corrections are made and the consumption ipality, he requests them to rectify the mistake is calculated over 2 months you will realize that immediately. I was overcharged with about R1 500.00,” he Hammann also reckons the current practice of writes. the municipality may be in contravention of its The problem lies in the different “blocks” of licence to re-distribute electricity. the sliding scale used by the municipality to Questions were sent through to the Makhado calculate the electricity consumption. Block 1 Municipality’s spokesperson, Mr Louis Bobodi. is the cheapest (R1,0596) and is applicable to At the time of our going to press, he still had to the first 50 KWH. Block 2 is for consumption respond. By Anton van Zyl
Carel Hammann Cell: E-mail:
HAMMANN PROPERTIES
082 923 1620 property@ hmlegal.co.za Address: 131 Krogh Street Louis Trichardt 0920
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Plaaslike slangkenner en -vanger Jan “Slang” van Rooyen (regs) word nie altyd net gevra om slange te red nie. Verlede Vrydag (25 September) is hy na die dam in Rissikstraat oorkant Fire Fly uitgeroep om ‘n onwettige visnet uit die dam te verwyder. Met groot moeite kon hy, met die hulp van Nico Botha (links), die net uit die water kry en ‘n paar klein vissies wat nog lewendig daarin vasgesit het, red. Jan het gesê dit is vir hom hartseer hoe roekeloos die mensdom met die natuur omgaan en dat hierdie onwettige praktyk nou ook sy weg gevind het tot in die dorp. Hulle het die net tot niet gemaak, sodat dit nie weer gebruik kan word nie. Foto’s verskaf.