City Power has received many customer queries and complaints in the recent months pertaining to City Power officials requesting access to properties to replace meters.
According to Yumna Sheik, City Power’s spokesperson, they are in the process of replacing all inaccessible and faulty meters as well as meters that have been bridged or bypassed by customers. All meters will be replaced with smart meters for the purposes of improved billing accuracy, updated customer details and to provide real time meter readings.
The old mechanical meters are not on par with the more technologically advanced smart meters – which have many more benefits. Meter readings in areas where City Power does not have a smart meter footprint are critical – they ensure that customers who are using conventional electricity are billed for actual electricity consumption.
Councillor Anthony Still, Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Environment and Infrastructure Services in the City of Johannesburg (CoJ) said, “The City is committed to ending billing estimates and we advise the residents of Johannesburg to expect visits from City Power’s meter installation/ audit teams, and request them to grant access to their properties for this project. Customer safety is a priority for the City of Johannesburg, so we encourage homeowners to verify City Power technicians and contractor officials first by checking their uniforms and their ID cards before allowing any individual onto their property.”
Customers are urged by City Power to check the technicians‘ and contractors’ cards and verify their details by phoning City Power’s Risk Control Department on 011 490 7900/ 7911/ 7553. The City’s employees are required to have these cards on their person at all times.
Should customers willfully hinder, obstruct or interfere with any authorised City Power official in the performance of their duties after verifying their credentials, they will be guilty of an offence.
In terms of section 23(1) of the Electricity Act 41 of 1987, read with section 101 of the Local Government: Municipal Systems Act 32 of 2000, as well as section 33(1) of the Electricity By-Laws:
“Any person authorised thereto in writing by an undertaker may at all times enter any premise to which electricity has been supplied by such undertaker, in order to inspect the lines, meters, fittings, works and apparatus belonging to such undertaker or for the purpose of ascertaining the quantity of the electricity consumed, or where a supply is no longer required, or where such undertaker may cut off the supply for the purpose of removing any line, meters, fittings, works and apparatus belonging to such undertaker.”
“Where there is a need for a smart meter installation and customer availability clashes with City Power’s schedule, the customer is requested to contact the City Power Call Centre on 011 490 7484 during office hours to arrange a convenient time for a City Power contractor official to return and assess the meter,” said Sheik.
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