Eskom has now backed down on its plan to install prepaid electricity meters at homes in Orlando East after angry residents went on the rampage last week demanding that the electricity meters be removed.
Eskom is owed about R2-billion by consumers who use electricity but refuse to pay for it or illegally connect their properties to the existing electricity grid in the township.
Residents have accused the power utility of unilaterally deciding to convert all customers in the suburb to prepaid meters. It has apparently also insisted that all those customers who are in arrears pay a minimum of R1k towards reducing those arrears.
On Friday last week residents marched on Eskom’s offices in Diepkloof demanding that the installation of prepaid electricity meters is halted amid appeals from residents that they were impoverished and could not afford to pay.
Eskom apparently wanted all residents to service their arrears by paying off a further 25% of the outstanding amounts each time they purchased a voucher for the prepaid electricity meter.
Meanwhile the residents claim that the arrears they are being charged for are a result of Eskom’s faulty meters and are not an accurate reflection of the actual amount of electricity used. They have challenged Eskom to acknowledge that it is at fault.
Community leaders and Eskom representatives are due to meet this week to attempt to resolve the problems in Orlando East.
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