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Ekurhuleni to implement smart utility bills

Lauren Kate Rawlins
By Lauren Kate Rawlins, ITWeb digital and innovation contributor.
Budapest, Hungary, 28 Sept 2016
Ratepayers in Ekurhuleni will soon be able to pay their utility bills using a QR code.
Ratepayers in Ekurhuleni will soon be able to pay their utility bills using a QR code.

The City of Ekurhuleni is the first local government authority in the world to offer ratepayers Masterpass as a payment method.

This was announced at the MasterCard Innovation Forum in Budapest, Hungary this week.

Masterpass is a digital payment service powered by MasterCard that allows users to load their credit and debit cards into an app and make payments using a QR code, among other payment methods.

To pay with Masterpass, ratepayers need to visit the City of Ekurhuleni's e-Siyakhokha Web site, select the account they wish to pay, and choose Masterpass as the payment option. They scan the QR code displayed on screen using the Masterpass app on their smartphone and enter their ATM PIN or one-time PIN to authorise payment. Their account will be updated immediately.

"We are excited to launch Masterpass bill payments with the City of Ekurhuleni, making everyday payments simpler, faster and more convenient," says Mark Elliot, division president, MasterCard South Africa.

"Now ratepayers no longer need to carry cash and stand in long queues at customer care centres, nor do they have the inconvenience of logging into Internet banking each time they want to pay their municipal account."

The 'smarter' utility bills are part of the city's digital strategy to empower its citizens through technology.

The site also lets ratepayers interact and transact with the local government authority. They can check their balances, look up historical statements, lodge billing queries, and pay their municipal accounts including rates and taxes, electricity and traffic fines.

"We want to use the latest technologies to make it as easy as possible for residents to pay their City of Ekurhuleni municipal bills," says Ramasela Ganda, CFO of the Ekurhuleni metro.

Ratepayers banking with any bank can make use of Masterpass.

According to the MasterCard Impact of Innovation Study, South African consumers are eager adopters of new technologies and digital payment methods, with 73% saying they are ready to pay with their mobile phones.

Masterpass can be downloaded to both Android and iOS devices.

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