THIS HAPPENS EVERY DAY
These aren't made up. These are real billing errors reported by real South Africans, sourced from SA news outlets.
R47,000 water bill — for a vacant property
A Joburg homeowner received a R47,000 water bill while the property had been vacant for months. An estimated reading was used instead of actual meter readings, inflating the bill by over 400%.
Pensioner charged R18,500 for sewerage — on a septic tank
A 73-year-old pensioner in Cape Town was billed R18,500 for sewerage services despite the property being on a private septic system with no connection to municipal sewerage.
Double-billed for rates after property transfer
After purchasing a home, a Pretoria resident discovered they were being charged rates by both the previous and current accounts — effectively paying double for 8 months.
R92,000 electricity bill for a 2-bedroom flat
A Durban resident living in a small 2-bedroom flat received an electricity bill of R92,000 — more than 20 times their normal monthly usage. The municipality admitted to a meter reading error.
Billed for water after meter was removed
A Benoni family continued receiving water bills for 14 months after their water meter was physically removed during road construction. The municipality used estimated readings throughout.
R156,000 bill after deceased owner
The estate of a deceased Port Elizabeth homeowner was hit with a R156,000 municipal bill that included charges accrued while the property was in probate and unoccupied.
Disclaimer: All cases above are sourced from publicly available South African news reports. Names have been omitted to protect privacy. Billdog does not fabricate testimonials or case studies.