Fire dept defends billing for all call-outs

[lucifir]

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/N...ter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletters

Pretoria - The Tshwane fire brigade has defended its practice of issuing invoices for every fire or accident it attends.

"It is not new for the fire brigade services to issue invoices for accidents as well as other types of incidents," Tshwane fire safety deputy chief Steve Combrink said on Tuesday.

"This has been in the approved council report on tariffs for some time now."

Beeld reported that the Tshwane fire brigade had started issuing invoices for every call-out, whereas in the past they were only issued for house fires.

A source was quoted as saying that even if somebody died in an accident, the deceased's next of kin would receive an invoice.

According to the report, it's claimed that the invoices range between R375 and R1 900.

The source said that it makes no difference if it is an accident, a veldfire, or a cat which was rescued from a tree - people will pay.

Combrink said: "Should people be involved in vehicle accidents or fires and they need our assistance, even if another person phoned, then yes, they will be invoiced."

This was to cover service delivery costs.

Combrink said the city was not the only one issuing invoices for call-outs.

"It is not as if we are now suddenly starting to issue invoices... we have been doing this for a few years already."

He said if a fire broke out at a vacant space, the person who called the fire brigade would not be invoiced.

Do any other municipalities do this??
if so, what real purpose do our municipalities serve??

I can understand charging for prank/fake calls, but not for legitimate fires.

 

[Roo!]

I thought our rates and taxes paid for such services as police and fire brigade? I guess that only happens in 1st world countries

 

[isie]

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/N...ter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletters



Do any other municipalities do this??
if so, what real purpose do our municipalities serve??

I can understand charging for prank/fake calls, but not for legitimate fires.

yes they do (Joburg) my budies car was on fire they put it our - didnt save the car though, but got a call from them a few weeks later for the bill, think it cost him a couple of grand - and he wasnt the person that called for them

 

[Nod]

Next the Police will charge you by the hour to investigate your case ..., or the metro police will not only fine you, but also charge you for the paper, ink and petrol used in the effort to write the fine.

What are covered by rates and taxes these days?

 

[Mila]

I knew about fires. Sheez.

I want to stop paying taxes please.

 

[Mila]

Next the Police will charge you by the hour to investigate your case ..., or the metro police will not only fine you, but also charge you for the paper, ink and petrol used in the effort to write the fine.

What are covered by rates and taxes these days?

We already pay security companies extra for these services.

 

[xrapidx]

Good idea - lets privatize all services and stop paying tax.

 

[Fudzy]

Lol, Tshwane Munic certainly does not like it's residents. What a crazy notion.

 

[Fudzy]

Good idea - lets privatize all services and stop paying tax.

What about shack dwellers? Just leave them to burn?

 

[gregmcc]

fck me! What do we pay taxes for then!!!???

 

[ISP cash cow]

What about shack dwellers? Just leave them to burn?

This is an interesting question?

Who gets charged for the fire brigade call out in a squatter camp fire?

 

[w1z4rd]

Good idea - lets privatize all services and stop paying tax.

So... how many countries has that worked out for?

 

[xrapidx]

What about shack dwellers? Just leave them to burn?

What do you think will happen to them now if they have to pay?

If tax paying citizens have to start paying for services, why should we pay rates and taxes as well?

 

[xrapidx]

So... how many countries has that worked out for?

Sarcasm - the highest form of wit.

Don't see why we should be paying twice for the same service. What exactly are we getting for our rates and taxes?

We have to pay toll fee's
We'll soon have to pay for public health care.
We pay public school fee's
Paying for emergency services
What's next?

 

[deweyzeph]

Sarcasm - the highest form of wit.

Don't see why we should be paying twice for the same service. What exactly are we getting for our rates and taxes?

We have to pay toll fee's
We'll soon have to pay for public health care.
We pay public school fee's
Paying for emergency services
What's next?

We all need to start boycotting paying tax.

 

[LazyLion]

Double, triple pay for every damn service.

 

[Kornhub]

Wait what? My sister a paramedic and worked for a private company and well yeah they charged you but for a government service :wtf:

 

[mic_y]

What about shack dwellers? Just leave them to burn?

nah, this payment stuff only applies to the people who are already paying for the services. The shack dwellers DEMAND free stuffs, and get it...

 

[gregmcc]

If you dont pay taxes then you get all this for free. Its the tax payers who are being screwed again. We pay for people who don't pay tax, and then we pay for additional services like the fire brigade. Soon we will be paying for police services!

 

[lucifir]

this seems like a fairly essential service, and we already pay for it with rates(which is now based on the value of your property, even though u get no better/more service for it), as well as taxes ... so can the municipality be justified in asking for a payment to come and put out the fire at your home??

I would really like for someone to please provide a solution as to how we get our gov to put our tax money to the proper use, rather than paying for more unnecessary managers that just adds red-tape ... is there something that I can do?? Speak to my councillor maybe?? ( he will probably ignore me, as he has no incentive to listen)