Setswetla residents say they are not opposed to City Power’s installation of meters and the idea of purchasing electricity, but they want the process to be fair and cover all households in the area.

Although City Power previously installed meters in the settlement, resident Patronella Makhubela said the metering team only worked in some parts of the community. “They said they will come and install them [in our area], but they haven’t since June.”

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Now, after having to pay R200 monthly to stay informally connected to the grid following a damaged transformer earlier this year, residents say they have had enough, and want the utility to replace the transformer. However, according to Makhubela, the majority of customers in the area are not purchasing electricity.

This shatters their hopes even further, as City Power indicated earlier this year that electricity would not be restored or normalised in any area, unless 80% of customers were vending and compliant.

Residents insist they are not opposed to buying electricity, but they cannot buy while others do not. “If City Power wants to install meters, let them do it in the whole of Setswetla, not only in some households while leaving others without them,” another resident, Nobuntu Mabala, said.

City Power acknowledged that it undertook a significant metering rollout in the area in 2023, as part of its broader informal settlement electrification programme. “During the rollout of that programme, approximately 2 900 prepaid meters were installed to formalise connections, enhance safety, and ensure proper billing for electricity usage.”

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City Power said it installed meters in all households that formed part of the electrification project footprint, but noted that due to the rapid expansion of informal settlements, it is likely that houses without meters were constructed after the initial rollout.

Additionally, City Power said communities initially agree to audits and meter installations, but rollout efforts face resistance. It further emphasised that violence during normalisation makes it difficult to complete installations.

City Power reaffirmed its commitment to expanding legal and safe access to electricity, but noted that illegality in Setswetla is concerning. “There is a high rate of meter tampering and illegal reconnections in Setswetla, which undermines the sustainability of the network and the success of electrification projects.”

The utility added that before it can install meters in new houses, there must be improved compliance to protect infrastructure and ensure revenue recovery.

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