Man slapped with R400K utility bill

File Photo: Clyde Robinson

File Photo: Clyde Robinson

Published Aug 5, 2015

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Durban - A Pietermaritzburg businessman is challenging the Msunduzi Municipality’s decision to hit him with a R413 213 utility bill for being in arrears after it had allegedly failed to read his meter correctly for four years.

Gyan Nankan has turned to the Pietermaritzburg High Court for help. On Tuesday the court ordered the municipality to provide to the registrar of the court all the records which it used to determine the amount.

Nankan said he owned Takeshape Properties 45CC and held 60% shares in RNG Trading, which traded under Salford Wholesalers. The wholesaler operated a liquor outlet and a separate supermarket on one property owned by Takeshape.

He said he had been billed for electricity, refuse, sewerage and water from September 2009 and had “religiously” paid the bills.

In August 2013, an electrical inspector arrived on the property to check the electricity meter and its readings.

The man, called Anthony, told him he was being undercharged for electricity because the meter readers had not been reading the last digit on the meter.

That month, he was billed R413 213.

When he enquired from the municipality why he was charged the amount, he was told he had been undercharged for electricity usage since 2009. He was instructed to make arrangements to pay the amount, failing which the electricity would be cut off.

Nankan complained in writing. He pleaded with the municipality, saying he ran a small bottle store and general dealership and employed people who relied on their income to support their families. If he paid the amount, it would result in bankruptcy. He said the companies’ profit margins would not permit the amount to be paid, even in installments.

“The municipality can’t arbitrarily bill Takespace for undercharges dating back to 2009 if its own employees didn’t do their job properly,” he said.

The account was then placed on a “formal query”.

Of concern to him was that interest of between R2 086 and R2 848 was being added on to “arrears” every month. He had no idea how the interest was being worked out.

The municipality had not filed replying papers.

The matter was adjourned to September 3 for it to do so, and for him to respond.

The Mercury

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