Smart meter not so smart
BORDEAUX – A pensioner complains about his statements of account that he receives from the City.
A Bordeaux resident is complaining about account statements City Power has been sending him. The man who spoke on condition of anonymity said that workers from the entity came to his house in May and installed a smart meter that tracks his daily electricity usage. However, these readings did not reflect in his statement of account.
“I do not use that much electricity on a day-to-day basis but yet get over-charged and I am getting bills that say I owe thousands of rands to the City,” he said. The man, who is a pensioner, subsidises his electricity with a generator which he uses to power his TV, fridge and laptop and has his meals delivered to him by Meals on Wheels.
“I have tried several times to contact the City, to no avail. I usually just get bad service and I am tired of the City’s inefficiencies with regard to this matter,” he added. The man pointed out that he only received his government pension and could not afford to pay what the City was billing him for. He added that he did not receive his pensioner rebates from the City and that even before the smart meter was installed he had experienced incorrect billing by the City.
City Power spokesperson Yumna Sheik said that the customer’s smart meter has now been linked to his account and that the smart meter readings would start reflecting on his electricity bill which would be reflected on his latest statement of account. “With regard to pensioner rebates please contact City of Johannesburg Revenue Department,” she added.
Details: City of Johannesburg Revenue Department 011 358 3423.
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