City of Joburg considers electricity cut offs in response to attacks on officials

The City of Joburg says it may need to think about cutting off the electricity to communities where its officials were attacked.

The city’s group finance department said on Thursday that officials often get attacked, threatened, robbed, obstructed, or simply refused access to electricity and water meters when attempting to read meters or disconnect properties that are illegally connected.

Kgamanyane Maphologela, the department’s director of customer communications, said that in September alone, about 2 605 customers who collectively owe the city more than R464,5 million for water services are in problematic communities where the city has no access.

Maphologela added that about 323 customers who owe more than R46,6 million for water services either intimidated or refused the Johannesburg Water Meter Readers access to those meters.

Department struggles to collect more than R71,3 million

Also in September, the department said it struggled to collect more than R71,3 million that was owed for electricity as City Power technicians faced intimidation from 143 customers.

“These are customers who blatantly reconnect themselves to services each time they get disconnected and refuse to cooperate with the city,” the department said.

According to the city’s group chief financial officer, Tebogo Moraka, unauthorised connections and reconnections of water and electricity services cost the city billions of rands.

“The safety of our officials is very important. Lawlessness and any deliberate action endangering their lives will not be tolerated. We will ultimately be forced to consider the complete disconnection of electricity supply to these problematic areas,” Moraka said.

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“It’s unacceptable that our staff increasingly face resistance and intimidation for doing their jobs from the communities and businesses they serve. We want to caution residents that electricity and water meters are property of the city.”

Moraka emphasised that the city will not hesitate to lay criminal charges or arrests, impose severe fines, and cut off their access to water and power.

“We are resolute to collect every cent that is owed to the city. We are bringing everyone on board on our disconnection operations, which include the Johannesburg Metro Policy Department, Revenue, City Power, Johannesburg Water, and other crucial departments to strengthen our operations,” he said.