eThekwini rolls out prepaid electricity meters in schools
Four years after the resolution to roll out prepaid meters in schools, the City of eThekwini has finally begun the exercise, doing away with old meters which saw most schools in the city lagging behind in their bill payments.
THIS week, the City of eThekwini has announced that it is currently rolling out pre-paid electricity meters to schools.
“This is in an effort to assist the Department of Education to convert all schools in eThekwini from post-paid to pre-paid electricity metering. While the programme is currently focusing on schools in debt, it is available to all public schools irrespective of debt status.
“Of the 1 000 schools that are supplied electricity by the municipality, 66 have applied for pre-paid metering,” the statement said.
The eThekwini Municipality mayor, Councillor Cyril Xaba, said that the initiative forms part of the City’s debt-reduction strategy. “As the leadership of the city, we have made a commitment to improve revenue collection so we are able to deliver quality services. At the same time, we must assist customers who have challenges but who are willing to pay for services because a happy customer is a paying customer,” said Xaba.
Also read: Debt Relief Programme offers lifeline for indebted ratepayers
Also, to improve electricity and water debt collection, the City is currently rolling out a smart meter programme.
“Currently, over 120 000 smart meters have been installed. In line with the electricity turnaround strategy, a further 150 000 smart electricity meters will be rolled out over the next five years. Meanwhile, smart water meters are still at the procurement stage,” City spokesperson Gugu Sisilana added.
A report outlining the measures undertaken by the City to recoup outstanding debt owed by Section 21 schools was tabled at an Executive Committee meeting held on February 25, 2021. The tabled report noted that debt owed by schools was becoming a major concern for eThekwini with the total debt owed by schools being R188.5 million as of December 31, 2019. Several meetings were held with the Department of Education and Provincial Treasury to try and resolve the issue.
Section 21 schools are schools that are responsible for the payment of their services.
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