A total of 982 electricity smart meters are expected to be installed in the SE2 area from September 1, smart meter service provider BXC SA has confirmed.
Water smart meter installations in Ward 36 in Sebokeng are also expected to begin sometime in September, but only after public participation meetings have taken place with Ward Councillor Mpho Kolisang and including all stakeholders.
“BXC SA will be sending out installation notices to SE2 residents and businesses from September 1 notifying them of our intention to install electricity smart meters on a street-by-street basis,” said BXC SA Project Manager Dawid Dirks.
SE 3, in the ward of Councillor Edward von Bodenstein, was originally also scheduled for water smart meter installations but was postponed after a recent public participation meeting was rescheduled.
According to Dirks, BXC SA will also support the installation process in such a manner as to protect resident and business rights and interests.
This would include deploying independent business representatives and councillors as observers on the ground to ensure transparency and efficiency of the installation process.
Extraordinary steps would also be taken to ensure that criminal elements could not hijack installations or take advantage of installations in homes and businesses, especially by impersonating BXC SA personnel and vehicles.
SE2 residents and businesses will thus be able to check out installation personnel with a BXC SA database containing names, personnel photographs and vehicle registration numbers.
A new feature of smart meter installations will be the implementation of a Whistleblower programme to combat bypasses and infrastructure vandalism after installation of smart meters, with BXC SA saying it will later reveal details of the programme.
