City Power (CP) is urging the management of the Johannesburg Society for the Blind to be honest about why the disconnection of the institution’s electricity supply and other municipal services.
CP spokesperson Isaac Mangena said they can confirm that towards the end of 2023, they disconnected the organisation’s electricity supply because of its management’s continued defaulting on payment.
The organisation owes R9.8m in unpaid electricity bills. The last time the institution made a payment was in January 2022. That was R30 000, against a monthly billing of R70 000.
“Despite the numerous engagements we held with the management, imploring them to consider various payment arrangements, the organisation continued defaulting. CP gave the organisation more than enough time to raise funds to settle the account.
“We took almost two years after the last payment to disconnect supply because we had to consider the needs of the organisation’s beneficiaries. Ordinarily, CP would have cut off supply earlier, but because of extenuating circumstances, the utility had to delay and engage the management on ways to resolve the outstanding payment.
“Despite our reluctance to disconnect the supply, we had no option but to do so, because the cost of providing and maintaining power is high. The continued lack of payment compromised our operations and ability to provide a sustainable electricity supply.
“While we are aware of the pressures that every organisation and individual customers face, it is still important for everyone to honour their dues. While the over-billing query is still being investigated, the customer remains liable for paying for the month-to-month electricity usage. A query of such nature does not absolve any customer from paying for their ongoing usage.
“We remain open to further engagements with the organisation about settling the bill because we want the matter to be resolved expeditiously in the interest of the beneficiaries,” explained Mangena.
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