Electricity Department *******

Last week I was required to have the power turned off at our house while the roofing contractor installed a single corrugated roof sheet, where the overhead power cables entered the house.

I phoned the Electricity Department who told me that I must go to the municipal offices for this application. I went to Fish Hoek Municipal Offices and the gentleman at the reception desk said categorically that this application had to be made at the Electricity department in Muizenberg. I drove to Muizenberg and arrived there at about 12 noon on Tuesday 1st June. I met Warren Fritz who explained that a form needed to be completed and a fee paid, but it could not be done at Muizenberg. It had to be done at Rosmead Avenue Electricity Department and they close at 12.30pm. Too late!!!!!

On Wednesday 2nd June, I travelled from my home in Fish Hoek to Rosmead Avenue and completed the necessary form which was handed in, a copy of my ID was taken and I was given me a document in return for payment. I then offer to make payment, and get told that I now need to go stand in the queue at Plumstead Cash Office to pay the fee!! At this stage I am fuming and cannot understand how in the tech world of today we can't make a credit card payment or EFT as we do in business everyday!!!

Furthermore, our municipality claims "the City that works for you"????

Furthermore, I explained firstly, that I think the charge is unreasonable as our municipal charges are high enough and should cover these minor eventualities, but also the request could be handled by the flick of a switch on the opposite side of the road and did not need 2 visits to site to turn off the power and then another to turn on the power. She said that there was nothing more she could do for me.

I paid the R548-00 in full that afternoon.

On Friday 4th June, the electricity department truck arrived on site and as I said, they turned off the power, the roof sheet was fitted and they turned on the power again without leaving the site and I have the roofing contractor team to witness this. So why should I have to pay for 2 visits to site?

I would expect at minimum a R274-00 credit to my account, although in reality I feel that the cost to me was far more than this, as I was shunted around by the Electricity department. From pillar to post!!