By Nangamso Mabindla
29 June 2004

FOR the Buffalo City municipality to serve its citizens efficiently and effectively, residents need to pay for services they receive.

John Badenhorst, the head of the finance portfolio in Buffalo City, says: "A municipality is all about people and our core responsibility is service delivery."

But people need to help it carry out its core function "by appreciating and paying for services".

A crucial issue is the monitoring of electricity and water meters.

People need to understand and have faith in the process, says Badenhorst. "If we want to build trust between us and our citizens we need to tell them how we read meters."

If ratepayers understand how meters are monitored and the role they can play, "the process will be smoother", he says.

Generally, meters are read on the 19th and 20th of every month.

But if dogs or a locked gate prevent the meter-reader from reading a particular meter, an estimated reading is recorded. This estimate is based on an average of the previous two months.

A letter is left that explains that a municipal employee had tried to read the meter.

"In this case the householder would be asked to read the meter and phone the municipality with the reading. If this is not done we would again use the previous estimate."

Badenhorst says: "Once we leave the note, the onus is on the owner to phone us with the reading."

If the municipality is unable to gain access to a meter the ratepayer has to make an appointment to meet a reader on the premises twice a year.

"This is done to confirm the reading received from the owners," says Badenhorst.

If the municipality checks the reading and finds the estimated figure to be lower than the actual number registered, the ratepayer's account will be adjusted. The same applies if the estimate is higher than the actual usage.

He urges people to do everything in their power to ensure meters are read accurately.

Badenhorst says there are various ways people can pay their accounts. Customers can pay the municipality in cash, by cheque (if their payment history is good), by credit card or postal order.

"Residents can also make direct deposits, pay by phone, or pay at Pick 'n Pay or Shoprite supermarkets," Badenhorst adds.

For more information about payments phone the finance call centre on (043) 705-3098 or (043) 705-3712, or send a fax to
(043) 722-0660. You can also contact King Williams Town customer care on (043) 642-3450 or fax (043) 604-6444.

The Munifin Civic Centre is at 29 Oxford Street in East London; the King Williams Town civic centre is in Alyliff Street.