City Power has denied that its meter readings were faulty resulting in customers being overcharged significantly.
The utility on Thursday embarked on a clampdown of defaulters in the Midrand area targeting mostly affluent residential complexes and a shopping centre.
One of the complexes, Phoenix View Estate is said to be owing well over R 25 million and a man claiming to be a part of the facility’s management disputed the bill telling the City Power crew his company has lodged a complaint with the “mayor’s office” and that there was an understanding that the place would not have electricity supply cut off.
At Sunset View, another complex, also in Midrand, a woman came out as the City Power team was about to leave to protest that the entity was acting unfairly by disconnecting power when there’s a dispute.
General Manager at City Power Katlego Mogale-Makoni said the switching off campaign has helped recover millions owed to it by customers in various categories. The utility said it was owed up to R 300 million and Thursday’s campaign was aimed at recovering at least R 50 Million.
“The money is coming and as much as we are targeting what we are targeting there are customers who if we switch them off they go to the city and then they acknowledge their debt obviously they’re not able to pay the full amount. They make an acknowledgement of debt and pay whatever amount they have to pay.
“The cutting off has made customers come forward and indeed some of them find they’re able to pay the full debt immediately which shows that the ability to pay is there and that people just don’t want to comply,” said Mogale-Makoni.
Mogale-Makoni dismissed allegations of faulty meter readings saying most of the complaining customers failed to communicate with the utility when they received notices.
“Remember for us to go there and cut off supply it means there would have been a notices that were sent so at the time the when the notice came and the customer felt perhaps there was something wrong, that the money was not supposed to be 25 million they could have reported it to us and we check. from our side we do due diligence, we check the on-sight meter, verify the address before proceeding.
If at any given point is determined that there are errors that are there then the customers and city power. if we found the customer has paid we credit the account but what’s important is to respond when city power gives you notice, you cannot just ignore it,” she said.