Electrical Meter Charge

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=30 BGCOLOR="#0066CC" TEXT="#080000"> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" width="100%" style=" border-left: 1px solid #3366CC;" BGCOLOR="#000066" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> <B>Tulbagh Info Information</B></div> <div> Electrical Meter Charge</div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="120" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER BGCOLOR=#0099CC HEIGHT= 15 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="local_news.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Tulbagh News Page 2"><U>Back to Local News</U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> T.R.I.F</div> <div> Tulbagh Ratepayers and Inwoners Forum</div> <div> P O Box 10, </div> <div> Tulbagh,</div> <div> 6820</div> <div> email : <U>rockyvalley@telkomsa.net</U></div> <div> 023 2302172</div> <div> 082 6538229<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> 1 September, 2010<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> The Municipal Manager<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> Witzenberg Municipality<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> By email<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> Dear David,<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> Latest Tariff charge for Electrical Meters<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B><U>Pre-paid Meters</U></B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> I notice that Council has now started to charge all businesses, large and small, the sum of R263.34 for a 'Pre-paid electrical meter'. I have been approached by a number of small businessmen about this and they feel most aggrieved by this development. This figure, together with a charge for refuse removal of R123.45 and Sewerage disposal of R114.38 totals R501.17. This is considered neither justifiable, fair nor equitable. Before a business can even purchase electricity, pay it's rent and sell it's goods, they are having to pay R501.17 to the municipality? Not fair!!<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> I presume that a large business such as a supermarket (correct me if I am wrong), or a factory, generating a major amount of refuse and possibly generating a fair degree of sewerage from many more workers than a small business, pays the same as a small business with one or two people in it? </div> <bR> <div> Irrespective of the aforementioned comment, I consider that this apparent mindset that seemingly prevails in the Municipality that businesses should be the most severely 'punished' for just being entrepreneurs is unjustifiable. This could be construed as an indictment on the municipality for recriminating against sustainable job creation? </div> <bR> <div> Which begs the following questions, how many businesses operating from their homes from residential properties are paying these exorbitant tariffs and how many 'so-called' informal businesses are being charge similarly? Are guest houses, hotels, farm businesses, resorts, guest farms with accommodation also being charged per meter per room or cottage? Are these multiple accommodation establishments, or large scale employers being billed on one meter/one refuse/one sewerage per business, cottage/room etc. ?<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> Last questions;<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> 1. When I developed my two small commercial/mixed residential centres, I had to purchase the meters (I would believe that this criteria applies to all developers?). At the time, I received a quotation from the Municipality and I paid the amount in each case - before the municipality would install the meter. Would it be fair business practice to charge for these meters again?<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> 2. Is this charge (which is effectively an increase in the consumer cost of electricity) legal in terms of Nersa's regulations?<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> 3. Do you consider it fair and justifiable to pass on Eskom's increases to the consumer and then capitalise on the opportunity to charge the electrical consumer even more than the regulatory increase?<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> Your comments will be appreciated.<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> Kind regards,<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> John Veschini<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> Chairperson<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> Copy to : Nersa complaints, all councilors, other interested parties, TRIF committee members and Tulbagh eNews</div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" width=28 style=" border-top: 1px solid #0066CC; border-left: 1px solid #0066CC;border-right: 1px solid #0066CC; border-bottom: 1px solid #0066CC;" BGCOLOR="#0066CC" TEXT="#080000"> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>