Residents unhappy with new prepaid meters

Residents in Dobsonville Extension One are saying enough is enough with the new prepaid electric meters.

In a meeting held at the Caltex grounds, residents expressed how the prepaid meter is hitting their pockets.

Speaking on behalf of residents, Brown Zikhale said the problem is Eskom’s new electric system that has been introduced from the old conventional system that they’ve been using, to this switch over.

Zikhale said residents met to discuss the problem of the new prepaid meters and want to be informed of this sudden change.

He said residents are paying four times the amount they used to spend on electricity and that this is the key matter that residents are concerned about.

“A R200 electricity voucher is just consumed within a week,” he said.

Residents say that they want to put a stop to this project before it spreads to other areas.

Nine volunteers were elected on the formation of a committee that will represent the community in the resolution of this problem.

Today, some committee members are expected to start preparing a petition which will be sent to the local municipality and to Eskom objecting to the installation of prepaid electric meters.

Ward 48 councillor Jacquire Lekgetho was unavailable for comment.