City of Johannesburg to remove its electricity meters from the worst defaulters

The City of Johannesburg is going after its worst defaulters who might soon have their entire electricity infrastructure, including electricity meters, removed as part of the City’s aggressive credit control initiative, under the Project Lokisa banner.

The City has already identified more than 1 300 residential customers with a combined municipal debt of R978 million. These customers have failed to pay their municipal accounts for more than a year and risk the possibility of losing their electricity meters due to their persistent non-payment and their refusal to come forward and make arrangements with the City.

Kgamanyane Maphologela, Director for Communications and Stakeholder Engagement within the Group Finance Department, explains that, should these customers fail to settle their accounts or approach the City within the stipulated period, the City will be left with no choice but to remove its electricity infrastructure.

“All identified customers have already received level 3 disconnection notices, which inform them of the action the City intends to take as far as the removal of electricity infrastructure at their properties. Should they fail to come forward within the stipulated period, the City will act,” warns Maphologela.

According to Maphologela, level 3 disconnection is normally the last step the City takes after a protracted period, whereby the City would have been chasing defaulters. The City would have, amongst others, sent numerous pre-termination notices, reminders, and finally disconnection of services at customers’ properties, only for these customers to illegally reconnect themselves to municipal services.

Level 3 disconnection for electricity services implies removing service connections such as cables, conductors and meters. After level 3 disconnection has been implemented at the customer’s property, the customer will have to reapply for the new service application process if they wish to be reconnected to the grid. 

Maphologela warns customers who are behind with their payments to immediately settle their outstanding accounts, or alternatively, present themselves at any revenue Customer Service Centre to make payment arrangements with the City to avoid disconnections and legal action.