As the 12.07% Buffalo City Metro electricity tariff hike kicked in this week, the municipality’s four-month free pass for residents who steal electricity and water by tampering with their meters came to an end.
Despite the metro expecting an influx of consumers admitting to tampering, only a few showed up.
The amnesty allowed residents who stole water and electricity to come forward and, as previously reported, have their boxes fixed at no cost to themselves as well as not face any penalties over the tampering.
They were given four months, from March until the end of June.
From now on those caught tampering with their meters face a hefty penalty - up to a R15,000 fine or four months in jail.
However, according to BCM spokesperson Samkelo Ngwenya, the metro received an average turnout.
“From the responses, we expected an influx but rather received an average response.”
Ngwenya said the municipality had assumed that the reason residents tampered with their meters was that they had no other options.
“The amnesty presented consumers with a great opportunity as the meter will then be rectified without the consumer being penalised for illegal tampering of the meter,” he said.
Ngwenya said BCM would start inspecting meters in the coming weeks to identify wrongdoers.
“The metro will impose hefty fines and criminal charges against anyone caught tampering with municipal assets beyond the amnesty period,” he said.
“On water, the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality’s third ordinary council meeting resolved to write off irrecoverable water debts.
“In June 2023, a total value of R213m was written off as irrecoverable in respect of indigent debtors.
“This was done in terms of the credit control policy and rates and services.
“As a way forward, a report on the amnesty campaign will be submitted to the council.”
National Community Dialogue chair Leonard Ncumbese said most residents were not aware of the free pass period.
“The problem we have with the municipality is [a lack of] proper communication and consultation.
“A lot of people have no knowledge about it and the municipality prides itself saying it advertised it in the paper. How many people can actually afford the paper?
“They were supposed to call community meetings in all wards ... we have ward councillors who are sleeping on the job, enjoying their salaries without working hand-in-hand with the people,” he said.
Ncumbese said the increased electricity tariffs introduced this month would hit residents hard.
Beacon Bay Ratepayers’ Association chair Scott Roebert said they felt that giving amnesty and rewarding wrongdoers was not a great approach.
“We are quite surprised to hear that not many of the culprits came forward to accept immunity,” he said.
“The increases in tariffs is leading to a great deal of frustration among ratepayers, proper public participation was certainly not followed as even the councillors weren’t sure what increases were being proposed.”
BCM’s small business representative, Thandi Mkhanzana, said she did not understand how BCM could consider amnesty for wrongdoers despite the city’s billing issues that were not yet fixed.
In 2023, small businesses approached the city, asking for a write-off after the council resolved in 2022 to write off more than r R100m owed by big business.
They demanded a 100% write-off as well.
Mkhanzana said about 104 small businesses were still waiting for their write-offs.
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