City Power’s Service Delivery Centre cut the electricity supply to Midrand businesses and residential complexes for defaulting on payments on September 20.
The aim of the operation was to collect about R13.9m of R340m that is owed to the power utility by Midrand businesses and residents.
The first disconnection drive started in Erand Gardens where a warehouse owed City Power R1.5m and was promptly cut off. About 30 cars of City Power officials, Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) filled the streets of Midrand. A private college in Halfway House, which owed R1.2m was next on the list. A capital entity also in Halfway House was cut off following their R721 000 debt.
The drive’s last stop at a townhouse complex, led by a body corporate, was the most working on the day as they defaulted on their electricity bill which allegedly amounted to R5m. Midrand Service Delivery Centre manager Katlego Mogale-Mokoni said these operations yielded positive results in their bid to recoup some of the money owed to them.
“Currently, our debtors’ book in Midrand SDC is sitting at R340m. We are cutting them off with the hope that they will come forth and make payment arrangements. They are effective because some do acknowledge the debt and make arrangements to pay,” said Mogale-Mokoni.
Meanwhile, City Power’s acting CEO Stanley Shabangu, who was part of the disconnection operation was part of the power utility’s ‘aggressive efforts to ramp up revenue collection and enforce payment for services consumed’.
“We have a lot of places of this nature across the city, and we intend on making sure that we are paid what is due to us. Some positive results are coming through, with some revenue starting to come in and other customers making arrangements. The operation for today was aimed at collecting about R13m, ” said Shabangu.
Shabangu concluded that Midrand was prone to defaulting but insisted not all customers were the same.
City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena urged customers who are in arrears or defaulted to approach their nearest service delivery centres across all regions to make arrangements, as they regard these operations as a last resort.
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