CITY POWER TRAUMATIZING AN 81 YEAR OLD CITIZEN

My 81-year-old mother bought a house in Lenasia Ext 10, and she moved in 2022 June 2023 while waiting for the deeds office to register the property in her name. the Property was registered in her name September 2022. She went to Lenasia City of Johannesburg Municipality to submit the Title Deed that shows her as the owner of the property, as well as to get her Rates and Taxes Bill.

In September she was told by the Lenasia Municipality administrator that she doesn't reflect as the owner of the property on their system. The property still reflects the previous owner's details. She was then told to come check the following month. October 2022, she went back to get her bill and to start paying, but she was given the same excuse as last time. November 2022 the same excuse was given by the Municipality. Evry month she went to the municipality religiously and still was told she can't pay without an account reflecting with her details. The Lenasia Municipality Administrator promised to escalate the matter in March 2023. Still there was no account for my mother on the Municipality System.

April/May 2023 I receive a call from Top Notch Debt Collectors Threatening to cut off all municipal services, as there's an amount of R48 000 outstanding on my mother's City of Johannesburg Rates and Taxes Bill. I then related the above story, that we never received any statements as the Lenasia Municipality couldn't find my mother's account on their system. I asked how can she be handed over for collection without even getting 1 invoice for 10 months? Top Notch Collectors agent sent me all 10 months statements that Lenasia Municipality couldn't give to my mother after she requested the invoice for 10 months without getting any help.

I went to Lenasia municipality and made aware of the matter and showed them the statements we received from the debt collectors. I showed them the statements/invoices they couldn't give to us for 10 months, but they could give the statements to the collectors to harass an old lady.

The manager apologized for their negligence but still stated that Gogo (my mother) is still liable for the R48 000, even if they made a mistake. He further told me that we would lose the case and remain liable even if the matter was taken to court.

I am so amazed by how the elderly are even such service and the same manager said the only way to resolve the matter is for my 81-year-old mother to make an arrangement by paying 10% of the R48 000, then the balance will be divided by 60 months plus her normal monthly billing. She only earns the government grant and cannot afford such a bill, a bill that accumulated because of Lenasia municipality negligence.

Why is she supposed to be the only one who takes the punishment when the Lenasia municipality failed to present her with the bill for 10 months.

It's unfortunate that the municipality takes advantage of those with no legal assistance to fight such matters and crimes committed by big Bodies like the Municipality. Next thing they will want to attach the debt to property to take advantage of the poor old woman.

I am disappointed that even her Rates and Taxes bill is R7000 per month when she stays with only 2 grandchildren. The meter hasn't been working since she moved in June 2022 and therefore her rates and taxes are estimated from the sky.

How does such huge institutions get away with ****** and victimize poor society and no one can do anything about it.

I accompanied her to apply for ESP in Aug 2023 but that brought down the bill by only R700 for exemption on water and sewer only. We tried applying for prepaid so we can stop these estimated and inflated figures, but we were told she must 1st make arrangement to pay the R70 000 first before they can consider a prepaid application. Everything is a dead end, and the debt is rising by +/-R7000 every month.

We also submitted the for Elderly Rebate application form to Lenasia municipality in July 2023 already, but nothing is happening.

I reported the Faulty meter for my mother, the city power agent came and just took a screenshot of the blank/broken meter and told us that there's no stock for these meters and latest we will get one will be January 2024. meaning the municipality will continue to estimate the rates and taxes as they wish. The debt now is sitting at R70 000 in 12 months, and no one is helping the old lady.

I'm calling out to all legal representatives that can assist Gogo with this matter at a low cost.

City Power is a *******. Taking advantage of Old People.