Overcharging not our fault, City insists

THE City of Windhoek is now laying the blame for illegally overcharging Windhoek consumers since July at the doorstep of the Ministry of Mines and Energy.

Quite apart from that, it claims, the amount was “insignificant”. It was not a levy, but a “component” of the tariff “to recover the costs of the levy for the Electricity Control Board”, the office of the Chief Executive of the City’s corporate communications and tourism division said yesterday.In an unsigned statement that was faxed late yesterday, the office said the levy was only imposed from August, and not from July.”The early recovery will now be reversed and credited to accounts (of consumers),” the statement said.The levy of 0,5 cent per kilowatt hour (kWh) must go to the Electricity Control Board, but only 0,45 cent was approved by the Ministry of Mines and Energy.The City charged 0,5 cent, however.”The City of Windhoek was informed that the Minister of Mines and Energy (Erkki Nghimtina) approved an increase of the ECB levy from 0,45 cent per kWh to 0,50 cent effective from July 1 2006.On the strength of the above official communication to the bulk supplier (the Windhoek City) on the increase of the ECB levy, the City implemented this increase as a component in its tariff, to recover the costs for the ECB levy,” the statement said.The increase was “very insignificant” and would only amount to between 20 and 80 cents a month, the statement read.The issue was “miscommunicated” by the media and “sensationally blown out of proportion”, according to the City.”In order to avoid confusion in future, the City will ensure that it obtains approved tariffs from the ECB on time to ensure that tariff-related matters are included in the yearly budget for implementation as from July 1 year,” the statement concluded.It was not a levy, but a “component” of the tariff “to recover the costs of the levy for the Electricity Control Board”, the office of the Chief Executive of the City’s corporate communications and tourism division said yesterday.In an unsigned statement that was faxed late yesterday, the office said the levy was only imposed from August, and not from July.”The early recovery will now be reversed and credited to accounts (of consumers),” the statement said.The levy of 0,5 cent per kilowatt hour (kWh) must go to the Electricity Control Board, but only 0,45 cent was approved by the Ministry of Mines and Energy.The City charged 0,5 cent, however. “The City of Windhoek was informed that the Minister of Mines and Energy (Erkki Nghimtina) approved an increase of the ECB levy from 0,45 cent per kWh to 0,50 cent effective from July 1 2006.On the strength of the above official communication to the bulk supplier (the Windhoek City) on the increase of the ECB levy, the City implemented this increase as a component in its tariff, to recover the costs for the ECB levy,” the statement said.The increase was “very insignificant” and would only amount to between 20 and 80 cents a month, the statement read.The issue was “miscommunicated” by the media and “sensationally blown out of proportion”, according to the City.”In order to avoid confusion in future, the City will ensure that it obtains approved tariffs from the ECB on time to ensure that tariff-related matters are included in the yearly budget for implementation as from July 1 year,” the statement concluded.