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JHB City Power cut off power to several posh estates in Dainfern on Wednesday. City Power says residents of at least 204 properties owed millions in revenue. The highest individual customer debt was R 1.4 million.
Johannesburg City Power cut off electricity to several posh estates in Dainfern in an operation on Wednesday, due to residents owing R13 million.
“The utility company was initially delayed by resistance from the owners of the Dainfern Estate, but was eventually allowed in after we threatened to shut down the entire complex,” spokesman Isaac Mangena said in a statement Wednesday.
“The operation is part of City Power’s revenue-raising efforts aimed at those who must [on] your electricity bill, [are] illegally connected to our network, bypassed meters and meters that have been tampered with to ensure that the customer is not billed correctly ”, he added.
The operation targeted Dainfern Extension, Dainfern Proper and Dainfern Ridge, where City Power said it was owed and was losing millions in revenue.
“There are 204 expired clients targeted by today’s operation, who together owe City Power R13 million.
“The highest individual debt for a client is R1.4 million, and the house was found unmetered, therefore illegally connected. At least 40 customers collectively owe City Power amounts between R100,000 and R1.4 million, ”explained Mangena.
The operation saw at least 10 properties visited, with six closed during the operation.
Customers who lost power on Wednesday were expected to settle the bill immediately or pay an advance of 10% of the amount owed, before reaching an agreement with the city of Johannesburg.
“[For example] the customer who owes R1.4 million will be asked to pay R104,000 and sign a debt acceptance agreement with the City before reconnecting. The main reason for the operation is to deal with the grid overload and to recover the lost revenue caused by those who steal the electricity, ”said Mangena. The operation included officials from the City’s Energy Revenue Protection Unit, with the help of the Joburg Metro Police Department.
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