Municipality warns of unlawful electricity operators

The Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality warns residents and customers of con-artists posing as municipal officials, selling prepaid electricity meters and demanding spot fines for meter boxes that have allegedly been tampered with.

The metro has received reports of customers receiving hand-delivered letters and being approached by the fraudsters to install prepayment electricity meters at a fee.

The prepayment meters that are installed by the scammers have, in fact, been stolen from other municipalities and whenever the customer buys electricity, the payment amounts are allocated to the municipality that owns the stolen meter and not the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality.

To avoid becoming a victim of crime, residents are advised to follow the golden rules:

• Do not to make direct payments or pay spot fines to an individual claiming to be a municipal official.

All payments must be over the counter inside the metro’s rates halls.

• Upon receiving a letter addressed from metro, make a follow-up call through the call centre or the 999 number provided on the letter before making any payments.

• Residents wishing to change from the conventional credit meter to a prepaid meter should visit their nearest Electricity Service Centre and fill in an application form at their nearest Customer Care Centre.

• Always request a legitimate receipt that can be kept as proof of payment.

If an unlawful prepaid meter in discovered by Meter Auditors, the illegitimate prepaid meter will be confiscated and the electricity supply will also be disconnected. A reinstatement fee of R2 118.60 including VAT will be charged, as well as a backdated account will be levied.

Any illegal activities or suspicious behaviour should be reported through the municipal Call Centre on 086 054 3000.

For more information on prepayment meters, visit www.ekurhuleni.gov.za/prepayment-meters.

Also read: 

Library fine free week

Comment on the municipal budget