On Friday, 21 August, Dawn Park residents gathered at Impact Church for the Dawn Park Finance Open Day. The event gave them an opportunity to address municipal account issues, including outstanding bills and indigent applications.
Hosted by the Vosloorus Customer Care Centre, the event was held after residents requested assistance with municipal accounts, billing and indigent matters. Rather than simply attending a meeting or presentation, residents received one-on-one assistance with their individual finance-related queries.
One elderly resident who learned about the event through the community WhatsApp group attended to apply for indigent support for the second time. She first applied three years ago at the Boksburg Municipal Customer Care Centre and was pleased with the service she received. The process went well, she said, and she has since found the indigent programme helpful. She said that because of the programme, she currently pays only for her electricity consumption, while the municipality covers her other rates, including water.
Bringing the service closer to home meant residents could address financial matters without travelling to a customer care centre. This was particularly useful for elderly residents who may find travelling more difficult. Some residents arrived expecting a traditional information meeting. Instead, they received one-on-one assistance with their specific queries.
The event started at around 9am and ended at 1pm. Throughout the day, more than 30 residents came and went, with some returning with documents after initially leaving. Many appeared pleased as they left after receiving assistance.
By midday, the church hall had emptied, but municipal workers remained available in case more residents arrived. Their wait was not in vain, as more residents continued to arrive later.
