Councillor says Alexandra businesses must pay for electricity
Councillor Adolph Marema says Alexandra businesses must pay for the electricity they consume, as sustainable services depends on residents and enterprises contributing their fair share.
Ward 116 councillor Adolph Marema says businesses in Alexandra must pay for the electricity they consume to help sustain the power network.
He said councillors usually grapple with immense pressure from residents, when there is no electricity, but residents very seldom reflect on the fact that they are not purchasing electricity.
“The only way services will come is when we realise that we have the responsibility to build the city. Cities are built by their own people. They are built by people themselves paying for services.”
Read more: City Power says only one councillor pays for electricity in Alexandra
He said businesses, including spaza shops, laundromats, bakeries, and properties with backyard rental rooms, need to contribute their fair share.
“The majority of the double stories are built for renting out and they create more electricity demand. Businesses must pay, no matter how small they are. They must play a role to ensure that we collect enough revenue for the services they utilise.”
Marema’s call aligns with City Power’s intensified drive to improve revenue collection. The utility announced its plans to launch a compliance programme starting in Alexandra, targeting businesses and properties operating outside proper metering and tariff structures.
The initiative involves street-by-street audits to verify consumption, install smart meters where needed, and migrate customers to the correct tariffs.
City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena said the programme aims to improve revenue collection, strengthen network planning, and ensure infrastructure can support changing consumption patterns.
“Recently, we were in the media for owing Eskom over R5b, that is basically the truth, and it is because we have been operating without making revenue, or at least collecting enough revenue to sustain our operations.”
In statement, released on June 3, acting CEO Charles Tlouane emphasised that the utility cannot continue investing in infrastructure, replacing damaged equipment, or responding to outages while electricity is consumed without payment.
Many residential properties in Alexandra have evolved into income-generating enterprises, such as rental homes, spaza shops, bakeries, salons, and fast-food outlets.
These businesses, according to Mangena, often consume more electricity than originally planned, but remain on residential tariffs or operate without proper metering.
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He said while these developments support the local economy, they place extra pressure on infrastructure not designed for commercial-scale use.
Property owners and businesses are being encouraged to install smart meters and move to appropriate tariff structures. The compliance programme will extend to other areas, including Soweto, Eldorado Park, Lenasia, and the Inner City.
City Power said accurate metering, compliance, and responsible consumption are essential for reliable electricity supply, economic development, and long-term sustainability of the network.
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