Pinelands social housing tenants protest against high electricity charges

Residents of the Conradie Park social housing development in Pinelands say they feel trapped in what they once believed would be their “haven,” as they protest against high electricity costs and poor communication from their billing provider.

Tenants marched outside the complex on Tuesday evening, holding placards that read: “We are not prisoners,” accusing the SmartMatter billing system of overcharging them for electricity and water.

Conradie Park is managed by Own Haven, a Social Housing Institution (SHI) that operates in partnership with the Western Cape Department of Human Settlements and the City of Cape Town.

The development forms part of the government’s broader effort to provide affordable rental housing for households earning between R1 850 and R22 000 a month.

Under the Social Housing Act (No. 16 of 2008), SHIs and Other Delivery Agents (ODAs) are accredited to manage these projects.

The government acts as regulator, funder, and facilitator, while SHIs handle day-to-day operations, rent collection, and maintenance, all under strict affordability guidelines.

Resident Xolelwa Nazo said she had been on the housing waiting list for 18 years before finally moving into the complex four years ago. However, after losing her job in 2023, she now faces eviction.

“I was permanently employed when I moved into the flat, and in 2023, I lost my job,” she said.

“I managed to get a job as a promoter, but it’s not stable. I didn’t pay for two months, and I was served an eviction notice when I told them I couldn’t pay, as I lost my job. What I wanted to know is if they evict me, does that mean I will go back to the housing list, or am I now out of the system and must reapply and wait for another 18 years?”

Another tenant, Alison Rigler, said she had been charged for electricity even when her power was cut off for two weeks.

“I complained, but nobody came back to me. They have a call centre, and they are anonymous. You cannot reach any real person. I sent an email, and I’m still waiting,” said Rigler.

“SmartMatter is the middleman that you pay. They’ve got an app, but it’s not user-friendly. You’re supposed to buy electricity and pay for your water and hot water, but it’s not working. It’s failing, and people are suffering. Some people put in R600, others R1,000, and we can’t afford that anymore. We don’t even shower; we wash over the basin because it’s too expensive to shower. It’s R50 a day. So now, is it for water or electricity?

“We want to pay for electricity only. Even for hot water, it shouldn’t be prepaid, and the electricity should be on a City Council metre. There shouldn’t be a middleman. The middlemen seem to be corrupting everything, and SmartMatter is the worst. We can’t afford that.”

Resident Fadhiel Cupido said tenants were misled by promotional material that promised affordable living.

“They are consuming us dry. I’m afraid to make food because of how much electricity costs, and the hot water costs a lot of money. We can’t afford it,” Cupido said.

“We were lured with pamphlets saying it’s affordable housing. We were accepted despite our small salaries. I lost my job, and we’re trying to keep up, but we have expense upon expense upon expense with SmartMatter.”

In response to the protest and allegations, Own Haven managing director Andrew Wiseman said the company was aware of the demonstration held on 14 October, during which several concerns were raised.

“We take these matters seriously and are committed to treating every tenant with dignity and respect,” said Wiseman.

He said fines were only implemented where there had been a breach of the house rules, which are workshopped with tenants before they sign their lease agreements.

“These measures are aimed at maintaining a peaceful and respectful living environment. This is fundamental to maintaining a harmonious community within the development for all residents.”

Wiseman added there have been no unlawful evictions. 

“There have been no unlawful evictions at Conradie Park social housing, and this accusation is false. Any evictions are carried out strictly in line with legal procedures and securing a court order,” he said.

Addressing the claims of overcharging, Wiseman said electricity billed via SmartMatter was based on the domestic residential rate published annually in the City of Cape Town’s tariff book.

“Tenants are informed of any changes ahead of the municipal annual July increase each year. Utility charges and increases are fully aligned with municipal guidelines to ensure fairness and clarity, and are usage-driven. In addition, tenants receive six kilolitres of free water monthly, in line with the Social Housing water tariff provisions,” he said.

Wiseman added: “We reject any notion that our tenants are treated like prisoners. Our policies are in place to ensure the safety and cohesion of all residents.”

mandilakhe.tshwete@inl.co.za