PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS – Bitou residents can expect delays in receiving their municipal accounts this month, as "gremlins" crept in after the implementation of new tariffs.

Residents have raised concern after finding discrepancies on their last bill.

Municipal Manager Mbulelo Memani explained that the errors on the July 2022 monthly billing statements were due to the implementation of the new year tariffs.

"The municipality had to delay the issuing of the statements to ensure that all errors have been corrected," he said.

The accounts will be issued shortly and the due date will accordingly be amended to limit the impact on residents.

In the meantime Deputy Mayor Mavis Busakwe said that it had come to her attention that some account holders were concerned after receiving their July 2022 account.

"These accounts showed rates being less than that of June. On 1 July 2022 the new budget came into effect which included a property rates rebate on the first R350 000 for all Bitou residents," she explained.

"This was tabled with the 2022/2023 budget which included the revised policies - specifically the property rates policy - and was approved at a special council meeting held on 7 June as part of measures to help all Bitou residents with post-Covid relief."

She said that the mayor's office is committed to ensuring affordable tariffs for all our residents. "We therefore encourage all residents to keep their accounts up to date by ensuring payment on a monthly basis."

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