{"id":10248,"date":"2013-08-07T11:40:00","date_gmt":"2013-08-07T09:40:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/10248\/what-the-metro-had-to-say-2\/"},"modified":"2013-08-07T11:45:25","modified_gmt":"2013-08-07T09:45:25","slug":"what-the-metro-had-to-say-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/germiston-city-news\/news-headlines\/2013\/08\/07\/what-the-metro-had-to-say-2\/","title":{"rendered":"What the metro had to say about Germiston South Primary’s electricity"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sam Modiba, the spokesman for the metro commented on the issue of Germiston South Primary School’s electricity issue as follows:<\/p>\n

“We have indeed receipted an amount of R11 048, on July 30, for Germiston South Primary School.<\/p>

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“If an account falls in arrears, an instruction is issued to disconnect.<\/p>\n

“The contracted service providers are given a mandate to disconnect.<\/p>

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“If the client has already settled the account, that issue should be raised with the department who issued such an instruction.<\/p>\n

“The contractor is not responsible for accepting proof of payment, because they are not metro administrators, but rather service providers.<\/p>\n

“In the other case, the account also reflected arrears and was subsequently also disconnected against those arrears.<\/p>\n

“There was no erroneous disconnection in as far as this property was concerned.<\/p>\n

“The due arrears amount was settled on July 18.”<\/p>\n

With regard to properties being disconnected when they are not in arrears, Modiba said: “The school’s account is in arrears and that is the reason the disconnection instruction was issued.<\/p>\n

“There was no erroneous disconnection on the account.<\/p>\n

“An instruction was issued and the power has been restored at the school.<\/p>\n

“Clr Chris Swanepoel also called and raised his concerns due to the disconnection, and subsequent to that as well the power was restored.<\/p>\n

“The instruction to restore power at the other address was also issued.”<\/p>\n

With regard to the question: “Who goes out and does the disconnections and on whose authority?” Modiba said: “We have contracted service providers to disconnect the properties whose accounts are identified as being in arrears.<\/p>\n

“Contractors work solely on the metro finance department’s mandate.<\/p>\n

“It is difficult for the school to educate in the dark.<\/p>\n

“The school administrators need to ensure that the municipal account is settled timeously monthly to avoid such instances from recurring in the future.<\/p>\n

“Clients are advised to please pay their account seven days before the account’s due date – particularly clients utilising the third party payment channels.<\/p>\n

“Also, clients can register and view their statements monthly at www.e-siyakhokha.co.za.”<\/p>\n

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