JOHANNEBSURG. - Those who have not updated their meters will face some dark days in the next four days.
When their current credits run out, they simply will not have electricity.
This is according to Eskom’s spokesperson Daphne Mokwena who spoke to eNCA on 20 November.
Scores of residents nationwide continue to chase the 24 November deadline of upgrading their prepaid meters.
And this has forced many to queue in long lines outside Eskom’s offices to be assisted.
READ |Prepaid Electricity Meters | Sunday is deadline to recode meters
But despite this, Mokwena says they stand firm in their approach that those who fail to upgrade will have their power cut off.
“If your meter is not on KRN 1 after 24 November your meter once your meter units run out and you try to upload whatever token on that meter it will not accept it because that meter will have expired and will not recognise the token. Basically, the meter box will be useless. We encourage customers not to wait,” Mokwena says.
She says cut-off residents will have to get their meters replaced at a cost of R12,000 but this will come with waiting periods, depending on demand.
“For our side that means we will have to man capacitate our self in terms of technicians that will have to go out to ensure those meters are replaced. This would take days or even months based on how soon and the number of those needing to replace their meters.
Mokwena added that those who have been found to have tempered with their meters or connected illegally, will face additional costs and fines.
Meanwhile, energy expert Tshepo Kgadima questioned the timing of the upgrades and the benefits it would bring to consumers.
“The entire metering system in the country is guesswork and has not been regularly calibrated as required by law and that is a problem.
“The re-coding has everything to do with convenience for Eskom so that they are able to collect revenue or rather to be able to charge you when you load as a prepaid customer but what happens to the post-paying customer,” he said.