CITY OF UMHLATHUZE EMBARKS ON CONSUMER EDUCATION DRIVE

 

The City of uMhlathuze has taken the responsibility to educate, engage and encourage consumers on issues of basic services delivery and payment of municipal bills to avoid termination of services.

 

Consumers with queries on their registered accounts from Rates, Water, Electricity, Refuse Removal and other services are encouraged to visit the municipal stands in different parts of the City to resolve them swiftly. The campaign kick started successfully at eSikhaleni Mall last week where many consumers reported their matters and they were resolved on the spot.

 

Municipal customers who also wishes to open new accounts are also welcomed to visit our desks and get more information on how to open an account with relevant forms and requirements.

 

The drive, themed: Siyasizana Help Us Help You, is aimed at assisting consumers on how to settle the municipal bill before it escalates to a level of non-affordability. This non-affordability of municipal bill may lead to illegal connections of water and electricity and the escalation of rates bill which, in most cases results in disconnections, legal actions and many other defects.

 

Effects of illegal connections causes service delivery supply disturbance such as the overloading of the power grid and major pipe bursts which affects even officially connected consumers.

 

The City has identified most problematic areas and they are targeted in this first 3 months’ phase of the consumer education campaign.

 

The campaign, led by the Mayor Cllr Mduduzi Mhlongo and the Speaker Cllr Silondile Mkhize, sees them taking out a team of officials to public areas such as Malls in townships, Suburbs and towns, public meetings, schools, community halls and tribal authorities to engage directly with affected citizens.

 

Door-to-door visits will also be conducted to those most problematic accounts with an intention to resolve them quickly. Customers are also encouraged to visit municipal offices eMpangeni and Richards Bay between 7h30 and 16h00 to enquire about their queries.