Residents, frustrated by alleged inaccurate and estimated water and electricity bills from eThekwini Municipality, have launched a new campaign called ‘My Street Champion’ to collectively address the issue.
The founders of ‘My Street Champion, Sam Reddy and Johann Van Den Berg, said their own unresolved billing issues motivated them to create the campaign. “When we compared our experiences, we realised that there must be hundreds of other residents just as frustrated—so we decided to take action by creating a plan on how we can voice our issues collectively,” said Reddy.
According to the founders, the campaign’s core goal is to unite communities across eThekwini to fight together against alleged over-billing and estimation. Reddy said that despite reporting the issues to the municipality numerous times, the response they receive is always the same: slow, inconsistent, and dismissive.
“We are working fully within the law. The Municipal Finance Act supports our right to correct billing errors. Campaigns like this make some officials uncomfortable, and we take that as a sign that we are on the right track. Other municipalities in South Africa face challenges, but have far better systems for transparency, faster dispute resolution, and a higher standard for meter readings. EThekwini can meet those standards — but only if residents hold them to account.”
Durban North resident, Magda Westley, said the problem began for her in February 2024 when she received an enormous water bill of R44,000. She said: “This shocked us, especially because during the period that they billed us for, we often had no water for days at a time. We tried to resolve the matter by reporting it, but nothing was done. The municipality even sent officials to cut off our electricity and water. They intimidated us into signing an agreement to pay R1,870 per month towards this bill.”
Westley, appalled, hired leak detection specialists who, according to her, confirmed there were no leaks. “I escalated the matter to the eThekwini Ombudsman, but they took no action. We dealt with an official named Chantel de Moore, but again, no one seemed interested in helping. We are still paying this ridiculous amount for water we never used. To make matters worse, I’ve noticed that the payments we make don’t always appear on our account, and yet the charges are still added to the bill. The system is broken, unethical, and leaves residents feeling powerless,” she said.
The chairperson of the Glen Hills and Glen Anil Ratepayers Association, Paul Alvarez, also shared his frustrations and stated that the association is firmly behind the campaign.
Ward 36 councillor, Heinz De Boer, said: “In my wards, there are dozens if not hundreds of people, who receive estimated bills every single month, and the water and electricity readings are very sporadic. I’ve had reports of people who haven’t had their metre read for six months, a year, and in one case, two years.”
De Boer said this issue stems from the introduction of the Revenue Management System (RMS) used for billing. “We still believe that the RMS is flawed, it is certainly not talking to the apps where you’re supposed to upload your things, and we need to really go back to basics. The city needs to start looking at getting prepaid metres for water and electricity.”
In Ward 34, councillor Andrew Akkers has responded to the complaints. He said: “I’ve invited officials from Revenue Management, Electricity, and EWS to assist with account queries and Metro Police to assist with fines next week Sunday, 24 August at Firwood Road Library Hall between 08:00 and 15:00.”
When approached for a comment, eThekwini Municipality told Durban North News that they cannot respond to a “blanket allegation that are not supported by any shred of tangible evidence.” The city instructed the publication to advise complainants to contact the municipality directly or to visit their nearest Sizakala Customer Service Centre with a copy of their bill and any relevant documentation so their case can be investigated.
Reddy urged residents struggling with similar challenges to join the campaign by texting his WhatsApp: 069830 8989 or by emailing: support@mystreetchampion.co.za.
