Lazarus Dithagiso
1 minute read
VANDERBIJLPARK. – The controversial Smart Meter Electricity system has officially been launched. Emfuleni Executive Mayor Gretha Hlongwane kick-started the pilot Smart Meter project in style last week.
The first house to be switched on using the Customer Interface Unit (CIU) – conducted from outside – was that of Dr Ferdinand Niyimbanira in SE7.
The mayor has been vocal about IDP’s, saying she wants to see residents participating in the shaping up of Emfuleni. She said residents have to pay for what they consume: “Emfuleni has been given a political mandate to address the imbalances of the past. This mandate is clear.”
Hlongwane said Gauteng Premier David Makhura welcomed the new system.
The system was comparable to a “thousand-mile journey on thorny roads.”
The municipality should embrace the community for their patience:
“We are happy that everyone was part of the journey.” The old infrastructures will be replaced with the new. The Smart Meter is said to be accurate, boasts no wrong billing, gives instant updates, makes estimations impossible when taking readings for use of electricity or water, and customers will not be able to ‘bridge’ electricity.
The more electricity and/or water used by the community, the deeper it will have to reach into their pockets.
When the community has functions like funeral services, this must be arranged before-hand with the municipality. Watering gardens and washing cars at will, will become a thing of the past.
There will be no ‘car washes’ on street corners. Such businesses will have to arrange for the installation of water faucets (taps). Some of the community, especially people living in the township, say they did not want to pay for services during the apartheid government. The same leaders were part of the Asina-mali Campaign in 1984.
They threaten to use the same strategy to fight the government of today. The mayor was joined by Emfuleni municipal manager, Sam Shabalala, Health MMC Sello Pitso, Finance MMC Mabandla Ronyuza and Waste MMC Godoli. lazarus.dithagiso@media24.com
