Seeing red over waste levy in Tshwane

Why does the city not conduct checks before imposing charges, asks Jamela Nkanyane

Iwould like to respond to the article titled AfriForum tackles levy, which appeared in The Citizen on February 5. reside in a complex where a private service provider has been contracted to collect waste. I was astonished to realise that I am being charged for waste management by the City of Tshwane.

The cleaning levy is not to be implemented as the article states, it is already charged on our statements.

I agree with the fact that the public was not informed about the levy in advance. In fact, when I inquired about the levy through the city’s call centre in 2017, I was told the levy would be reversed and a consultation be conducted. The levy was reversed in November 2017. However, people have been charged again in January this year without consultation.

I wish the Tshwane Mayoral spokesperson, Samkelo Mgobozi, could have indicated the platforms used to canvass the matter. This levy may have been part of the refuse removal tariff since August 2000, but I do not understand how I could be affected as the city does not collect waste at my complex.

I am already paying R259.83 for property rates to the same municipality, supposedly for street cleaning services.

Attempts to contact the city were fruitless as the consultants had different views to the matter.

The recent response I received was that employees are following instructions and that was the rule. This consultant would not even answer if we could switch to the municipal waste collection service and be charged on one account and not individually as it currently is for the complex.

If there is any transparency and honesty to this charge, why are the consultants not well-informed? If the city is dealing with illegal dumping, why do they not conduct checks before imposing charges on people?