Marema advocates for electricity payment normalisation in Alex

Ward 116 councillor Adolph Marema stresses the need for normalising electricity payments in the Alex as City Power prepares to install smart meters starting October 15.

Xoliswa Zakwe

2 hours ago

City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena warns customers who have tampered with the newly installed meters in Marasteng to refrain from doing so because they will not hesitate to act against those involved.

Ward 116 councillor and chair of chairs Adolph Marema said he and other councillors agreed that Alex residents and business owners operating in the township including rental units, must pay for electricity.

“We cannot have a situation where, for example, foreign shop owners are just selling and making profits using the resources of the state without paying,” he said.

Marema said targeting business owners did not mean they would not target residents. “To combat the issue of load reduction in our township, we have to pay for electricity. We can’t keep complaining about load reduction, meanwhile, we do not want to pay for service.”
This call for accountability comes as City Power prepares to resume its meter installation programme in Alexandra starting on October 15 after the initiative had previously been put on hold in Riverpark due to unresolved community concerns.

Following extensive deliberations with community members, City Power has implemented several programmes, including an education campaign in Riverpark and advertising Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) posts alongside SMMEs.

City Power CEO Tshifularo Mashava acknowledged the collaborative efforts that made this project possible.

Ward 116 councillor and chair of chairs Adolph Marema says every Alex resident should pay for electricity including business owners to combat load reduction.

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“We must say that this would not have been possible without the counsel, support and collaboration of councillors and other community leaders in all wards across the Alexandra area,” Mashava said.

As the normalisation programme resumes, City Power will initially target local businesses and residential customers, with plans to install about 3 000 smart meters across Wards 75, 76, 105, 107, 108 and 116.

This initiative aims to enhance electricity management, reduce energy losses, improve vending patterns, and ultimately address the challenges of load reduction.

“You will be seeing City Power metering technicians everywhere, installing meters without any exception so that we all start buying electricity,” Marema said.
Alexandra has been plagued by a high number of illegal connections and meter tampering, significantly straining the network and impacting service delivery. Addressing these issues is crucial for reducing the load reduction.
Already, 1 600 meters have been installed in areas including Far East Bank, Tsutsumani, 15th Avenue, Marasteng and parts of Riverpark Phase 1.

City Power’s metering technicians will continue their efforts until all customers are duly metered. Remarkably, about 90% of customers who previously did not pay for electricity in Mayibuye are now compliant, leading to substantial improvements in service delivery.

However, City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena expressed concerns over reports of meter tampering in areas such as Marasteng.
“We will not hesitate to act against those involved. We will be conducting unscheduled audits in the area, and those found wanting will face possible arrest and immediate power supply disconnection, which will come with further penalties,” said Mangena.
“We appreciate the continuous cooperation and support of the Alexandra community, and we hope that all customers will have installed proper meters and upgraded before the Token Identifier rollover deadline next month.”