City Power has intensified efforts to upgrade customers’ prepaid meters in the City of Johannesburg to ensure they continue to function beyond November 24.
This is part of the power utility’s token identifier (TID) programme that started on August 15 last year. Due to the old technology, all prepaid meters will stop dispensing electricity in November because the credit tokens will run out of available numbers unless the meter is reset. Prepaid meters not upgraded will cease to work.
City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena said the TID programme is rolled out in all of City Power’s supply areas where authorised agents conduct audits, reset, and replace prepaid meters at no cost to customers. Should electricity units be found on the meter while being replaced, they will be carried over to the new one.
The energy supplier appeals to customers to grant its teams access to their properties when in their areas. The teams are easily identifiable because they wear yellow TID-branded bibs or T-shirts and carry valid ID cards with their photo, name, surname, and expiry date.
“The city’s power supplier is aware that criminals use counterfeit meter reading credentials to enter residential homes to rob unsuspecting customers. To ensure customers do not fall prey to this crime, they can verify the TID agents’ credentials by calling the number on their branded bibs or valid ID cards. Because this service is provided at no cost, customers are cautioned not to pay for TID meter resetting.
“City Power urges its customers to report suspicious activities, such as being asked to pay for a meter resetting service, when people at their doorsteps are not wearing TID-branded clothing and have no ID cards,” said Mangena.
Should you need support during this period, call City Power’s contact centre on 0800 202925 or 011 490 7484.
Service Delivery Centre customer desks are also available to help customers.
Authorised agents will conduct audits, reset, and replace pre-paid meters at no cost to customers in the Reuven Service Delivery Centre areas as follows: