The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality would like to update residents that following the easing of the COVID-19 lockdown regulations, full credit control measures will commence from Wednesday, 1 October 2020, following months of relief measures put in place to customers who were financially affected by the pandemic.
The commencement of this function is to ensure a financially sustainable City which can deliver efficient services to its residents. This in effect means that meters linked to arrear accounts will be blocked or disconnected 15 days after due date and a set-off of 30% pre-paid electricity purchases against unpaid arrears will be implemented a day after due date.
Following the declaration of the National Lockdown by Presidents Cyril Ramaphosa in March, the City put on hold all electricity and water meters restrictions, blockings or disconnections that would have been implemented due to unpaid arrears on municipal accounts.
A total of three Customer Care Centres were opened on 10 June 2020, where account holders could visit to conclude arrangements to repay arrears or settle their accounts. Alternative payment platforms were available throughout the lockdown at EFTs, Banks, Post Offices, EasyPay (Checkers, Shoprite, SPAR etc).
Due to COVID-19 limitations the delivery of statements by post was slow during the higher levels of the lockdown, account-holders were informed by sms, newspaper adverts, newsletter sent with all statements and via social media that they could continue to pay their normal monthly account by their usual account due dates. Statements were also emailed to those account holders who have an email address on record.
On 28 June 2020 a Payment Relief Programme was launched, where all arrear account holders were informed to apply for relief if the COVID 19 pandemic had affected their salary and on 8 July 2020 interest was reversed on all accounts where the account holder’s accounts were up to date on 31 March 2020, but paid late thereafter due to non or late receipt of statements during lockdown levels 5 to 3.
The City would like to thank all account holders who have managed to keep their accounts up to date or concluded affordable repayment arrangements during these difficult and trying times.
With Alert level 1 in place, the City has now reopened additional Customer Care offices this week and customers are encouraged to visit the Walmer, New Brighton and Thusong (Motherwell) offices for all accounts related queries. This is in addition to the already operating offices which are Mfanasekhaya Gqobose Banking Hall (Govan Mbeki Avenue), Uitenhage, Korsten, Billing Clearance at Harrower Road Stores and the Accounts Helpline (Call Centre) 0415065555 which operates from 8am to 4:30pm. All the other Centres are open from Monday to Friday between 8am and 3:30pm.
NMB Communications
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