MAKHADO (LOUIS TRICHARDT) - “Why does it take so long?” is a question that the Makhado Municipality fails to answer. Incorrect accounts drag for years and members of the public demand answers and solutions.

On the water and electricity account that Mrs Hannie van der Merwe received in October, the total amount due was reflected as R50 790.25. The account is for the business named Dinki’s, situated in the main street. The truth of the matter is that Mrs Van der Merwe had closed down the business in May 2003, 18 months ago.

The problem reared its stubborn head in March 2003. Instead of the normal R500 account, Dinki’s, a home industry and coffee shoppe, mysteriously received an account of around R43 000. Municipal officials agreed that it could not be correct and Mrs Van der Merwe paid the normal amount and closed the account two months later.

“I have been taking the faulty account to the municipality nearly every month for 20 months. Why does it take so long to sort it out?” is the complaint of Mrs Van der Merwe. Every month, a monthly levy of R473.86 is charged for a business that no longer exists. “Everytime I am told they will see what they can do, and they are still ‘seeing’ 20 months later,” Mrs Van der Merwe said.

Mr Ruben Radzilani from Council’s financial department said that his position is to help attend to problems. He was tasked to investigate the matter but has to date not come back with a solution.

Mr Dan Masengana, the Makhado Municipality’s Director of Finance, said that, in a municipality with 15 000 accounts, one would expect some problems.

“We address each problem specifically,” he said. When asked why it takes so long to sort out problems, he said that he would come back with an answer. After a long wait, the answer is still outstanding.

In the meantime, Mr Anton van Zyl, Manager of Zoutnet Publishers, has also been trying for several months to sort out the problems regarding the electricity accounts for the property at 47 Jeppe Street. The property was transferred into the name of Zoutnet CC early in 2003, whereafter Zoutnet converted to a system of Time of Use and the necessary electronic metres were installed.

For more than a year, the company received four different accounts reflecting some metres that were no longer in existence. Several requests that the accounts be consolidated and the errors be corrected were made. On each occasion, the accounts department assured the company that the matter is receiving attention.

For the past few months, the four different accounts have come down to two erroneous accounts. The claimed usage suddenly was stated as more than R22 000, whereas the normal reading is less that R2 000. Metres that do not exist anymore are still reflected.

In a letter dated November 9, Zoutnet advised the Makhado Municipality that it should take note of the risks that it is taking.

“Our printing works is totally dependent on a constant supply of electricity and, should this be terminated as a result of the alleged non-payment of the account, we will have no other alternative than to claim damages from the Makhado Municipality. Several other newspapers are also being printed at our factory … Any claims for non-performance against us as a result of the electricity’s being cut will be for the account of the Makhado Municipality. These claims could run into several hundreds of thousands of rands …” reads the letter.

In May this year, Mr Dan Masengana denied that administrative chaos existed in the accounts department. When Mr Masengana was asked in November if there is administrative chaos in the accounts department, Mr Masengana promised to come back with an answer, but at the time of going to press there was still no reply.