How to read your City of Johannesburg municipal account
A Johannesburg municipal account combines several services on one statement: property rates, refuse, water, sanitation and, in most cases, electricity. Each service is billed on its own basis, so a high total can hide one wrong line. This guide shows you where to look, how to tell an actual reading from an estimate, and what changed when City Power took over electricity billing in July 2025.
General information, not legal advice.
One account, several services
Your account is a bundle of separate charges. They are worked out differently:
- Property rates depend on your property's municipal valuation, not on what you use. See rates and refuse charges.
- Refuse and the City Cleaning Levy are charged by property value band, according to the City's 2026/27 tariff brochure (tariffs brochure).
- Water is charged per kilolitre (kl) used, in bands. A demand management levy and sanitation (by erf size) are separate charges. See water charges explained.
- Electricity is charged per kWh used. The brochure prices prepaid electricity in kWh blocks. We hold no official City Power schedule for credit meters.
The City does not publish one official diagram of its statement in the sources we used, and the layout has changed over the years. So the section names on your bill may differ slightly from the ones above. The ideas below hold either way.
What to check, in order
- Account number and property. Make sure the bill is for your property. A wrong or duplicate account can cause strange totals.
- Statement and due dates. You need these when you query the bill.
- Previous balance and payments. Check that your last payment appears, and on the right date.
- Each service line. Look at the charge, the quantity (kl or kWh) and the dates it covers.
- Meter readings. Compare the opening and closing readings with your own meter.
- The total. Check that it equals the sum of the lines.
Actual and estimated readings
Your bill may mark each metered reading as actual or estimated (often A or E). If it doesn't make this clear, ask the City. Check this first.
An actual reading is taken from your meter. An estimate is used when no reading could be obtained. The City's Credit Control and Debt Collection Policy (clause 9.3) says estimates "will be based on the average monthly consumption of services registered over the 12 preceding months", and that "as soon as an actual reading is obtained, the account will be adjusted accordingly."
Two things follow:
- An estimate is allowed, and the policy says what it should be based on.
- Clause 10.9 says you remain liable for estimates charged to the account. So an estimate is not a reason to stop paying. It is a reason to query.
Read more in estimated readings, and in catch-up bills if a later actual reading made your bill jump.
Where each service appears
| Service | What it is based on | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Rates | Property value, less the first R300,000 for residential | Value on the bill against your valuation |
| Refuse and City Cleaning Levy | Property value band | The band your value falls in |
| Water | kl used, in bands | Actual or estimated, and the kl charged |
| Demand management levy | Fixed amount (the brochure prints no period; we believe monthly) | R107.74 for residential in 2026/27 |
| Sanitation | Erf size | Your erf size band |
| Electricity | kWh used (or prepaid tariffs) | Actual or estimated, and the kWh charged |
All 2026/27 figures are from the City's approved tariffs brochure.
What changed when City Power took over electricity billing
City Power says it took over the electricity billing function from the City of Johannesburg, effective 1 July 2025. In its statement of 15 July 2025 it says:
- Your electricity bill "will still be issued through the City of Johannesburg". So you still receive one account.
- It set up a dedicated unit for billing queries, with the email billing@citypower.co.za and the number 011 490 7484.
- It started a city-wide meter audit to check that each meter is linked to the correct account.
- Customers with manual meters "are encouraged to self-read" and submit a clear photo showing the meter number, the reading and the date, within your area's reading window. Readings sent outside the window "will not be used for billing".
In practice, electricity queries can go to City Power's billing unit. Inference: because the City still issues the bill, its dispute process probably still applies to the whole account. Confirm with the City and keep your reference numbers. Where City Power and the City give you different answers, ask for both in writing and keep a reference number for each.
The municipal-law duties still apply. Section 95 of the Municipal Systems Act says a municipality must, within its financial and administrative capacity, ensure that people "receive regular and accurate accounts that indicate the basis for calculating the amounts due", and provide accessible ways to query them (see section 95). We could not confirm from public sources how City Power and the City share these duties in practice, so keep your own record.
What to do if something looks wrong
Write down the line, the amount and why you think it is wrong. Then follow how to dispute a Joburg bill. Keep paying while you do: see that guide on what to keep paying, because clause 16.3 is not clear on the amount.
Sources
- City of Johannesburg Credit Control and Debt Collection Policy, clauses 9.3 and 10.9
- Joburg approved tariffs 2026/27
- City Power: takes over electricity billing function, 15 July 2025
- Municipal Systems Act 32 of 2000, s95
Want us to check your bill? Overbilled checks your last 3–12 months against the City's published 2026/27 tariffs and its Credit Control Policy, and lists anything it couldn't check. Check my bill