Council embarked on a revenue enhancement initiative to ensure that the various service charges, as set out in Council’s approved tariffs and charges schedule, are correctly levied to all categories of users in accordance with the relevant policies, by-laws, and legislation. 

The revenue enhancement initiative will see to it that all categories of properties are treated equally and fairly by ensuring that Council’s approved tariffs for the respective financial years are correctly applied. 

The project includes a comprehensive door to door survey to all properties situated within the Bitou Municipal area to verify metering equipment and provision of services. Fieldworkers will be required to present identity cards when visiting properties and collect customer, property, and infrastructure details during visits. 

Property owners/occupiers are requested to cooperate in providing the required information/access in terms of Section 5 of the Municipal Systems Act which state that members of the local community have the duty to allow municipal officials reasonable access to their property for the performance of municipal functions. 

Personal information collected will be used for the sole purpose of updating customer records and billing information in the municipal financial system and will be treated in accordance with the requirements of POPIA legislation. 

Billing anomalies and instances of under/over billing identified during the revenue initiative will be rectified in terms of Council’s approved tariffs for the respective financial year to which the correction applies, the applicable policies and legislation will guide in respect of the corrections necessary. Affected owners will be notified by means of a notification letter describing the reason(s) for the additional billings or corrections. 

The Municipality encourages citizens to familiarise themselves with Council's approved tariffs and relevant policies and to report billing discrepancies. Billing queries can be directed to Phelisa Pantsi at ppantsi@plett.gov.za. 

Survey dates for the respective suburbs/areas will be communicated in subsequent communications in local media, the official website of Bitou Municipality, Bitou Municipality’s Facebook page and monthly account inserts. 

Please contact Phelisa Pantsi at ppantsi@plett.gov.za for additional information. 

For any other queries, please contact Bitou Customer Care on 044-501 3174/5 or on the Toll-Free Number 0800 212 797 or send an email to CustomerCare@plett.gov.za