The Nelson Mandela Bay Ratepayers Association (NMBRA) recently had this question submitted over an enormous water account recieved from the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality:
I have gone through the process of submitting a rebate application for a water leak on my property which was granted with the resulting payment due by me of Tens of Thousands of Rand. My normal consumption is in the order of a few hundred Rand.
I submitted documentation disputing why I shouldn’t pay as the meter was not read by the meter reader for five months as it was illegible as reported by the meter reader to NMBM. Even if it was legible I could not practically monitor as it is a 4km drive from my entrance. The meter is more than 20 years old. They have not considered any of these factors and are insisting I am liable for over R64 000.
Besides not being affordable I don’t believe they are being fair or reasonable and should make some concession due to their oversight.
My question is how do I fight this issue?. Is there an ombudsman I can approach or perhaps a senior NMBM official who would be prepared to allow me to present my case face to face.
I’m desperate and would appreciate your guidance.
The NMBRA’s Alon Rathbone (Commercial Specialist at Property Scene Group CC) had this advice to offer:
I’m sorry to hear about your unresolved issue, and the Municipalities stance, regarding your query which is affecting a lot of disgruntled ratepayers.
My suggestions is to keep a paper trail of all correspondence, and suggest you appeal it in writing, and ask them to note the objection and to flag your account, which only lasts a month, so suggest that every month you submit the complaint in writing again and again, and ask that the flag get noted on your account in query, thereby avoiding prosecution, or them cutting your services off, through non-payment.
This lack of empathy by the Municipality, is affecting most ratepayers, and although we would love to help, just don’t have the man power to accept individual complaints, as we are self-funded.
My suggestion is to escalate it to the City Manager, and keep escalating it until you get a logic and acceptable explanation from them in writing, alternatively, turn all tap outlets off at the property, and then monitor if the meter is still rotating, which would imply that you have a leak. If so, call in a reputable plumber to assess the “invisible below ground leak”, and then to provide you with an affidavit to that affect, as it was not visible to the naked eye, and submit that to them and possibly your insurance company for the claimed loss.
I attach hereto, some contact people at the NMBM, for your convenience, and wish you all the very best.
