The City of Johannesburg (COJ) says it has reinstated its enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, which was undergoing maintenance.
The downtime experienced by the ERP system resulted in residents being unable to receive their monthly bills.
It also resulted in residents who wanted to open new accounts with the city not being able to do so, among other issues.
In a statement issued yesterday, the COJ says: “The City of Johannesburg is thrilled to announce the historic reinstatement of Joburg’s enterprise resource planning system. After undergoing a crucial maintenance process, our services are now back and better than ever before.
“Thanks to the tireless efforts of our internal teams, we have seen significant improvements in system performance, particularly in billing activities and cash collection.
“This achievement is a testament to our unwavering commitment to continuously improving our services and aligning with industry standards.
“While some services are still being partially restored, we are pleased to inform you that we are back up and running, with the remaining work to be completed by Monday, 3 April.”
The upgrading of the system comes after the COJ has over the years faced billing issues, with mounting complaints from residents.
The COJ’s never-ending billing crisis can be traced back to when the previous administration upgraded its revenue collection software. At the time, the city said its decision was prompted by the need to establish a sustainable revenue base through improved billing revenue management.
In 2011, Johannesburg started moving its disparate legacy systems onto a SAP platform, through a project code-named Phakama. The move cost more than R650 million.
In 2021, the COJ started inviting service providers to bid for its three-year SAP support contract.
This, after reports had suggested the city opted not to go out to public tender, but instead released a request for quotation to a closed panel of service providers.
At some point, thousands of Johannesburg account-holders began receiving grossly-inflated and inaccurate municipal accounts for rates and services. The issue of incorrect bills continues and the historical problem created a backlog in the operations of the revenue department.
In an SMS to customers yesterday, the COJ says: “Due to system maintenance, some customers did not receive their monthly invoices. Please pay your usual monthly average.”
The city points out that while it has updated its ERP system, some services remain unavailable.
“However, we want to assure you there are still ways for you to access your account information and make payments.
“You can easily view your statements through the e-Joburg platform, make payments in person at walk-in centres, EFT payments or use third-party services like Easy Pay and Shoprite Checkers. Your payment will be reflected on your statement as soon as the system becomes available.
“Our contact centre is available to view your statements but we regret that we won’t be able to transact on your account just yet. If you’re looking to open or close an account with us, we’ll be able to help you by Monday, 3 April.
“For any refunds you may be entitled to, our processing services will be available by 3 April.”
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