KNYSNA NEWS - A total of 1 397 Knysna properties have been left in the dark or without water following the municipal announcement on 20 December last year, that their services would be suspended if they don't pay their electricity and/or water bills before 24 December.
According to Knysna communications manager Christopher Bezuidenhout, 641 consumers were disconnected in December and another 756 in January this year have been left without water and/or electricity after not heeding the warning.
Despite numerous reminders, the slow or non-payment of municipal accounts are of serious concern to council. "The municipality has started to disconnect consumers whose accounts are two months or more in arrears," Bezuidenhout confirmed.
Knysna municipal manager Dr Sitembele Vatala appealed to residents to pay or make arrangements for their overdue accounts. "We urge residents to avoid electricity blackouts or restricted water flow by ensuring that they pay accounts that are in arrears or make the necessary arrangements with our finance department."
According to item 9.1 of the Approved Municipal Customer Care, Credit Control, Debt Collection, Indigent and Tampering Policy of 2019/2020, consumers who are in arrears with their account and who have not made arrangements with council, will have their supply of electricity and other municipal services, suspended, restricted or disconnected. It also states that council reserves the right to deny or restrict the sale of electricity to consumers who are in arrears with their rates or other municipal charges.
"We shall, without further notice, discontinue the municipal services and begin legal action to recover the debt. All legal, including court costs and statutory interest will be borne by the account holder," warned Vatala.
Vatala pleaded with residents to accept their legal responsibility and pay their overdue municipal accounts immediately. "The municipality and its people remain in partnership which has a better chance of success when everyone is working together."
Payments can be made at the Knysna Customer Pay Centre (Old Standard Bank Building) and Sedgefield Flamingo Street Offices. Alternatively, you can pay your municipal account at the Post Office, Spar, Pick 'n Pay, EFT and EasyPay points nationwide.
Asked whether this crackdown on utility defaulters was connected to the municipality's new fiscal challenges (Read: Is muni going for broke?), Knysna Municipality responded:
"The South African Constitution states that municipalities must make sure that all citizens receive services to satisfy their basic needs. Raising revenue through service charges play an important role in determining the municipality's ability to deliver services," Bezuidenhout said, "Legislation makes provision for the municipality to develop bylaws and policies to raise tariffs and recover income derived from these tariffs.
"All too often consumers fail in their responsibility to pay their monthly accounts, which affects the municipality's ability to render these basic services. The municipality is then left with no option but to take corrective steps to recover its income.
"The municipality's recent disconnection of services is a direct outcome of the implementation of its approved policies."
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