Residents of Etekweni and groups of payers claim that after the launch of the smart water meter installation program, problems with disputed bills and threats of service disconnection have arisen.
The municipality states that faulty meters will be repaired or replaced, and credit control actions should not be taken in the event of properly submitted disputes. However, community associations and payers are sounding the alarm due to widespread billing errors, sharp increases in bill amounts, and threats of illegal disconnection.
The smart water meter installation program is intended to replace outdated traditional meters with modern technology to reduce water losses, improve consumption monitoring, increase billing accuracy, and ensure fair distribution of Free Basic Water.
Resident Emanzimtoti and Stacov Lawrence de Clercq, chairman of the Legislative Assembly Oversight Committee, reported a sharp rise in his bill after the municipality replaced his meter with a smart one that showed a constant zero reading. His usual monthly bill was around 2000 rand. After not receiving his April bill, he contacted the administration and learned that he allegedly owed 65,000 rand.
A plumber checked the property and found a minor leak, which de Clercq said could not explain such an increase. He noted that the new meter was not recording consumption, while charges continued to be based on estimates. He reported this issue to the Sizakala Customer Service Centre in Emanzimtoti and received a promise that the bill would be suspended, the meter replaced, and incorrect charges annulled. Nevertheless, no action has been taken.
De Clercq recounted that shortly after this, he received a notice of possible water disconnection. He approached the municipal head office in Durban, where officials again promised to suspend the bill. Shortly thereafter, his son called and reported that a municipal employee was at the property intending to cut off electricity. De Clercq explained that the water and electricity departments were not coordinating their actions: although the water bill was suspended, there was no such prohibition for electricity, so employees came to disconnect it. However, they could not turn off the water.
He added: 'Even though it is suspended, nothing happens. It just continues; the amount grows every month.'
Yogesh Naidu, Chairman of the Reservoir Hills Payers Association, stated that he is aware of numerous cases where payers have faced erroneous billing, inflated expenses, or disconnection threats after the installation of smart meters. 'Reports are coming not only from Emanzimtoti but also from other electoral wards, indicating that this is not an isolated incident but a systemic failure in both meter calibration and municipal management. The implementation of smart meters in Etekweni is marred by technical defects, questionable installation methods, and administrative failures, leading to inflated bills and unjustified disconnections,' Naidu emphasized.
He questioned the quality of the meters and the standards applied to the contractors who installed them. Naidu reported that the association helped residents file official objections, seek correction of anomalous bills, and pay average consumption while dispute investigations were underway. He also noted that some cases were resolved through interaction with the Etekweni Revenue Management unit, but maintained that residents remained vulnerable to disconnection while their legal disputes were being reviewed.
Ish Praladh, President of the Etekweni Payers and Residents Association, said that payers are facing 'absurd' billing. He advised residents to send meter readings and photos to the municipality, and to ensure they have a receipt of the objection form. If a disconnection team is at their home, they should present this dispute form.
Ethekwini Municipality representative Senzelwe Mzila explained that the smart meter program aims to improve billing accuracy and reduce water losses. Mzila assured that 'if a faulty meter or irregular reading is reported, the meter is checked, repaired, or replaced. If the error is confirmed, the bill is adjusted according to actual or average consumption, and related charges are corrected.'
He also stressed that credit control actions should not be taken against an amount that is the subject of a properly filed dispute. Customers must continue to pay the portion that is not disputed or their average consumption until the dispute is resolved. Mzila added that 'the city continues to strengthen coordination between its revenue management and service delivery units so that disputed bills are correctly flagged.' He urged customers with billing or metering questions to visit the nearest Sizakala Customer Service Centre.
