GEORGE NEWS - The practice of some shop owners to charge a fee when customers buy electricity from their shop is illegal and should not be allowed.
The spotlight was turned on this issue when a Pacaltsdorp resident, who buys electricity from a home shop in New Dawn Park, complained that the shop owner charges 50 cents extra with every transaction.
"It's the start of a new month, so I just wanted to buy R10's electricity in order to get my free units at a later stage. The person behind the counter made me pay 50 cents extra before he would help me," wrote Daniël Bezuidenhout in a letter to Idinga's sister publication, the George Herald.
"This in spite of the words printed on each till slip: ''You may not be charged any fee except what's printed on this slip'. For many people, 50 cents may sound like peanuts, but for others it is a fortune in these times we live in. Our people are struggling and then they are being exploited by shops and nothing is done about it.
"This type of thing has to be stopped in its tracks. I move among the community every day and see the hardships my people have to endure. And then this comes on top of it. No, enough is enough!"
Henry Mitchell, deputy director of finances, said that it is against the council's policy and illegal.
"The matter is being attended to. Business owners who are guilty of this will not be allowed to continue selling electricity if they don't stop this practice."
Mitchell asked residents who encounter this problem to report it to the directorate of finances on 044 801 9111/ 9177.
'We bring you the latest George, Garden Route news'
