Johannesburg – The City of Joburg’s walk-in customer service centres will remain open and operate as normal during the festive season.
City spokesperson, Kgamanyane Maphologela, says the centres will continue to serve customers during the normal operating hours, except on public holidays when the centres will be closed.
The centres will only be closed on the public holiday of December 27.
Maphologela says as part of the city’s 1-point plan of becoming a responsive government, it will, from next year in February, progressively extend operating hours.
“Extending operating hours will improve efficiency and customer service, as more than 38 000 customers who visit the customer centres will be processed more timeously. We have listened to our customers and the extension of the operating hours is aligned to the needs of our customers,” says Maphologela.
The Thuso House walk-in customer service centre will be open early at 7.30 am to 6pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Other main centres will also open on Saturdays from 7.30 am to 12.30 pm.
Maphologela says that over and above extending of operating hours, the city will further train its frontline staff who deal with customers face-to- face.
“The customer relations agents will be equipped to handle critical issues at the centres and this will improve customer experience,” he said.
Customers that are away during the festive season can use easy, quick and safe electronic facilities to make their payments.
Payments can be made using any one of the following options:
Direct deposits to Standard Bank:
Payments can be made over the counter at any Standard Bank branch, county-wide. Customers using this method must fill in the unique beneficiary number allocated to City of Johannesburg: AA45 in the account number field. Always remember to use your nine-digit municipal account number in the depositor's name or reference field. This will ensure that the deposit is allocated to the correct municipal account. Payments over the counter must be accompanied by the customer's account.
Internet payments: If you pay via internet banking, you must firstly delete the old CoJ beneficiary (Absa, account number 4054398463); and then add a new beneficiary from the pre-loaded beneficiary list with the title: City of Johannesburg Company Beneficiary. Remember to use your nine-digit municipal account number as your reference.
ATM, telephone banking and other: Customers who make payments made via a stop order, telephone banking or the ATM must change banking details at their own banks. Debit order customer need not make any changes.
Third party payments: Customers who pay via Easypay pay-points such as Pick n Pay, Checkers and Woolworths are not impacted. They should, however, remember to take along their barcoded municipal account and take note that their payment may take up to five days to register on the city's system.
@annacox