A Havenside resident who was facing a municipal utility bill of nearly R1 million has received some relief after municipal officials visited the property and reinstalled a water meter following IFP councillor intervention and media attention.
In the edition of Tuesday, 3 March, the Merebank and Chatsworth Tabloid reported on the plight of Dayalan Moodley, the executor of his late sister Kokilam Moodley’s estate at 41 Sanyo Place in Havenside, Chatsworth. The account had escalated to about R995 000, with monthly water charges reportedly ranging between R80 000 and R90 000.
Following the report, the Merebank and Chatsworth Tabloid contacted the eThekwini Municipality and provided the city with copies of the utility bill statements.
Municipal officials subsequently dispatched a team and an inspector to Moodley’s residence, where a water meter was reinstalled.
Moodley expressed gratitude for the swift response. “I am grateful for all the assistance,” he said.
According to Inkatha Freedom Party PR councillor Pastor Selvan Govender, the water meter had previously been removed from the property, making it difficult to determine the cause of the unusually high charges.
Govender said that when the matter was initially raised with municipal officials, Moodley was informed that reinstalling the water meter could cost about R10 000. Alternatively, he was told that he would need to pay 25% of the nearly R1 million arrears and enter into a 36-month payment arrangement before the meter could be reinstalled.
“It was extremely difficult for a pensioner to find that kind of money simply to rectify the issue and determine what caused the bill to escalate to that extent,” Govender said.
He added that after consultations and further engagement with municipal officials, the meter was reinstalled within five days of the issue being raised.
Moodley said he was surprised to see municipal officials at his home working on the installation. “I could not believe the municipality was actually at my home and that the water department was busy installing the meter,” he said.
Govender also praised municipal officials for responding to the matter and working with stakeholders to address the issue.
Investigations into the unusually high water charges are expected to continue to determine whether the problem was caused by a faulty meter, leaks or billing discrepancies.
