The City of Johannesburg is stepping up its efforts to engage with residents by taking its revenue services directly to the heart of communities.
Recently, the city’s revenue team visited over 28 shopping centres across Johannesburg, offering much-needed assistance to thousands of customers with their municipal accounts.
This initiative is integral to a broader outreach and educational campaign aimed at providing convenient solutions to municipal account challenges, all while residents shop for their daily needs.
On November 30, the city showcased its commitment to customer service with a successful Open Day in Region F Revenue, extending operational hours to accommodate even more residents.
During the event, more than 1 500 customers received support on a range of queries, from how to navigate municipal accounts to applying for pensioner rebates.
It is also revealed that between September and November, the city facilitated assistance for over 1 500 customers during its mall visits alone. Notably, the campaign has proven particularly beneficial for elderly residents seeking pensioner rebates, a demographic that makes up a significant portion of attendees.
Kgamanyane Maphologela, the Group Finance’s director for Communications and Stakeholder Engagement, emphasised the importance of adapting city services to meet the evolving needs of Johannesburg residents.
“The city has responded to the changing needs of our customers — who require more options and flexible times to engage with the city. The revenue mall campaign is another addition to assist our customers while they are still busy with their shopping,” explained Maphologela.
“They can come through to the city’s revenue desk to get assistance and interact face-to-face with our friendly staff.”
The revenue mall campaigns have proven multifaceted in nature, assisting pensioners in applying for rebates, checking the status of existing applications, logging queries related to rates accounts for water and electricity, and connecting customers to online statements through the e-Joburg website.
Residents have expressed appreciation for these initiatives, recognising the convenience they provide, especially for the elderly.
“The city’s revenue campaign has been welcomed by residents, particularly the elderly. It is convenient for them; as they continue to do their shopping, they can just pop in to be assisted,” added Maphologela.
The Star