Meter readers ‘can’t read’
RANDBURG – Residents complained that the meter reader does not know how to read the new electricity meter.
Two Randburg residents have complained about electricity meter readings and installations.
They claim that some meter readers do not know how to read the newly-installed meters. Brian Allen and Prasad Voolla of Ferndale, told Randburg Sun that meter readers are required to press a specific button once to turn on its display, and twice more to view consumption.
They presented their electricity bills dating back to August last year, and in each instance the message written in the relevant space was “no reading no power”.
They claim this was because the City Power meter reader did not know how many times he was supposed to push the button.
Since the installation of the new meters, the residents’ bills have been based on estimates they claim are sometimes four times the average amount they previously paid.
Ward 102 councillor David Potter said he had not received a complaint such as this in a while, and has asked City Power to contact the residents.
Ward 98 councillor Laurette van Zyl explained that only a few instances occurred in her ward where meter readers could not read the meters and said, “Meter readers do not always know how to read a meter after reaching its capacity reading.
“One of the blocks of flats in Windsor is supposedly in arrears of R1 million because of such faulty reading and calculation. The problem has been logged numerous times since early last year and it has still not been rectified.”
She added that a bigger problem had arisen where when meters were replaced, their numbers were not changed on City Power’s system. This means new readings cannot be entered for these meters and an estimate usually way over the general average is given, she said.
Ward 104 councillor Mike Wood said there were no meter reading problems in his ward. But he and Potter said City Power officials had often not been wearing the required vests and identification when installing or reading meters.
City Power spokesperson Sydney Mphahlele had not responded to Randburg Sun’s queries by the time of going to press.
Details: City Power 011 375 5555.
