The Ekurhuleni metro is in the process of migrating all electricity meters in the City to prepaid meters.
According to spokesperson Zweli Dlamini, the metro has been actively changing conventional meters to prepayment meters for the past 10 years.
He explained the decision to migrate is to improve the level of service provided by the metro.
“Sending bills that contain interim readings is not aligned with excellent service.
“Interim readings can also be termed billing estimations, and these occur when a meter reading cannot be obtained.”
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Over the past two years, various initiatives for revenue protection and enhancement have been put in place, including:
• Reducing interims readings, which lead to either under- or overbilling of the customer and mostly cause friction with the customer when an actual reading is obtained.
• Relocating inaccessible conventional meters or prepayment meters from inside the properties to the street metering protective structures. This is not just for revenue protection and enhancement but also for ease of access to the metro’s officials as it becomes more and more difficult to gain access to the metro’s meters and other equipment.
Dlamini encouraged residents to make it as easy as possible for their contractors to instal the meter.
“It should take no more than about 30 minutes, after which you will be changed to the new prepayment metering, taking control of your electricity consumption.”
The installation process is as follows:
• The prepayment meter consists of two components, one being the metering component and the second being the customer interface component (keypad). The metering component will be installed in a metering kiosk and the customer interface component will be given to you once the contractor has commissioned the meter. Ensure a member of the household receives the customer interface from the contractor once the prepayment meter has been installed.
• The appointed contractor is under contractual obligations to the council, which includes providing customer service of the highest standard.
“It goes without saying that the contractor should refrain from any form of illegal activity. Should the service be unsatisfactory, please communicate this to our call centre on 086 054 3000,” Dlamini said.
• Each meter installed will be audited independently at a point in time soon after installation.
Members of the community can expect the letter for two reasons:
• First to inform them of the project/intention on hand and to make an appointment or provide a scheduled date.
• If no access is provided then a no-access letter is provided for a follow-up visit.
“This is in line with the department’s strategic decision and the metro’s policy,” Dlamini concluded.
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