This has got to be the funniest thing that I have heard in a very long time! I wonder if they are this strict on all of those fraudsters and thieves in their ranks that plunder the books and the funds and live off the rest of us?
I wonder how much it cost them to go after this 0.02c! Must be quite a fortune!
What a bunch of absolute idiots!
Council insists on 2c debt
Hanti Otto May 02 2008 at 07:32AM
Not a penny more, not a penny less, exactly 2c. This is what the Tshwane metro council demanded from Elmien Adendorff. The last two accounts they sent stated: "As your monthly payment is behind, it would be appreciated if you could pay it within 30 days to prevent legal (action)." Adendorff wanted to pay her debt, especially after she was twice threatened with legal action. The payment was part of a "renting agreement" regarding her pavement.
In 1998 Adendorff wanted to erect a fence. The council told her it was actually their pavement and she had to rent it. Payment was due once a year. In January she received an account for R214,34. "I paid it, but somehow I made a mistake and only paid R214,32 without realising it."
Adendorff received another account in February, but ignored it, believing she had already paid. When the next account arrived, Adendorff realised she owed the council a whole R0,02. Thinking it would just be added to her next account, she again ignored it. But then she received two accounts threatening her with legal action. But her biggest problem was how to pay off her "enormous debt".
"If I posted the 2c to them, it would have cost me almost 50c. The same with a cheque," she said. She considered phoning the council to ask what she should do, but that too would have cost her money. With no other solution, Adendorff drove to a retail store to pay the debt.
"They told me they did not take such amounts. The same happened at the next store." Finally she went to her bank's information desk. After listening to her plight, Adendorff had to fill in a deposit slip and stand in the queue for half-an-hour. She paid with a 5c, and got 3c change.
This article was originally published on page 1 of The Star on May 02, 2008
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