Anna Cox’s article “Joburg residents hope for justice after billing hearings” (The Star, February 20) refers.

The National Consumer Tribunal has set down a hearing centring on cases in which residents were unfairly charged, had their services cut off, were being charged incorrectly and so on after the City of Joburg objected to comply with notices and appealed to the tribunal to set them aside.

The council had made and broken numerous promises, and also disregarded a mediation, by not sending representation to the tribunal.

If the tribunal finds in favour of the residents – and this finding is ignored – it can fine the City of Joburg between R100 000 and R500 000 for a matter.

Fines of up to R1 million, or 10 percent of the council’s revenue, can also be issued by the tribunal.

It is clear to me that, notwithstanding the good intentions of National Consumer Commissioner Mamodupi Mohlala, these hearings will be a further waste of taxpayers’ money and could result in an increase in billing costs to us, the residents.

The bulk of the City of Joburg’s revenue is made up of property rates, grants, electricity, water and sewerage charges and so on.

But if a penalty is raised, the residents will be exposed to this incompetence.

Just a question: whose pocket will ultimately be affected, as these penalties will not benefit Joburg residents?

Paul Lategan

Rivonia, Sandton