The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Tswaing Local Municipality condemns letters of demand issued by the Municipal Manager (MM), Isaac Moruti, to businesses and ratepayers billing them massive amounts for electricity backdated three years due to supposed faulty meters.

Business owners have approached the DA with letters of demand ranging from between R500,000 up to R1,9 million. The letters fail to identify account numbers, meter numbers, meter readings or any statement of account.

Incidentally, the letters of demand were compiled after more than 100 smart meters were installed throughout the municipality. This appears to be a desperate and devious attempt to rob business owners and ratepayers of their hard-earned money.

If the previous meters were faulty then it quite simply means that the municipality failed to effectively monitor its meter and billing system. Retrospectively extrapolating charges cannot be justified.

More shocking is that Council, the elected representatives of the Tswaing community, were left completely in the dark about these letters of demand, nor have we been provided with any explanation as to the rationale behind this plot.

Residents in the towns of Delareyville, Sannieshof and Ottosdal regularly experience electricity and water supply outages. The Tswaing Municipality does not deliver any services in these towns. Street lights are in disrepair, potholes are never fixed, refuse is never collected and there is never a response to any service delivery problem.

Parts of Delareyville have been without any municipal water supply for more than three months now. In the vacuum created by the collapsed Tswaing Municipality, private water traders are supplying water to meet the very basic sanitation requirements of people.

Meanwhile, in Agisanang and Sannieshof raw sewage flow down streets and into people’s homes.

It is clear that MM Moruti has completely gone over the edge and forgotten about the service delivery needs of people. He is never available in his office, he refuses to answer phone calls or to respond to messages.

We are shocked that MM Moruti was, however, available to sign letters of demand in a bid to cash in at the expense of the people, but then this is what we can expect from an ANC governed municipality. Always eager and present to fleece money out of people and never available when it comes to the delivery of services.

The DA stands in solidarity with businesses and ratepayers who have received these ridiculous letters of demand. Business owners and ratepayers should pay their current accounts and not an additional cent more should be paid to Tswaing.

If MM Moruti wants people to pay for services, he should ensure that they are delivered, recorded and charged for in line with the rates and tariffs adopted by Council and not suck amounts out of his thumb.

 

Issued by The DA