‘Help me fight smart meters’
Roll out should be suspended until units are properly tested, Mann says.
Ward 85 councillor Carl Mann is calling for the roll out of smart meters to be halted until they’re properly tested, calibrated and approved.
He went as far as creating a petition for residents to sign to fight the roll out. Last week Mann sent out an email to residents describing his bid to have it halted.
“We are all aware of the issues faced when these smart meters are installed, and the corruption behind this tender,” he wrote.
“The power is in the people to fight this.”
Take your smart meters and shove ém
He argues the units not being calibrated properly is the reason behind many residents receiving incorrect or exorbitant bills after installation.
“The project should be halted in its entirety until installed units have been properly calibrated, and a legitimate company has been hired to do so,” he told the Record.
“It should also not be allowed to go forth until a standardised model is rolled out which has been SABS approved, unlike the varying, unapproved models residents have had installed to date.”
Mann said residents should be cautious about having smart meters installed and follow proper procedure to ensure their statements remain correct.
“I urge residents not to let an installer leave the property before the unit has been properly calibrated and he or she has signed off on it.
“Get the full details of the guys handling the installation and insist that the final reading on the old meter is done on the same day, which they should also sign for.”
He also encourages residents to take a photo of the final reading on the old meter to back them up.
The petition is online and takes a few minutes to complete. He hopes to be able to hand it over to the Office of the Speaker by middle November. From there it will get a petition number and appear before the Section 79 committee for petitions and public participation.
Residents can sign the petition online here:
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