Suspicious behaviour by “meter readers”
The GPS coordinates of the property are automatically linked to and indicated on the photo which makes it possible to ensure that the correct location was visited.
EDITOR – At 10am on October 14, a bakkie pulled up at our gate in Diaz Avenue, Eastleigh.
There were four occupants in the vehicle, two in the cab and two on the back.
When I answered the doorbell, there were two men standing at the gate and said they must read the electricity meter.
I told them we have a prepaid meter.
They insisted that they wanted to see the meter and I told them I cannot open the gate as I do not have a remote.
They then spoke to the two men who remained in the cab and were given a clipboard and a roll of masking tape.
One man had the clipboard and the other wrote information on the masking tape which he then stuck on the gate, took a photograph with a camera and then pulled the tape off again.
The two men climbed onto the back of the bakkie and they left, going up towards Terrace Road.
I went to the gate to see if the men where going from house to house but the bakkie was nowhere to be seen.
Is this the standard procedure for meter readers?
MARGIE FRANZ,
EASTLEIGH.
EDITOR’S COMMENT – Spokesperson for the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality (EMM) Mr Samuel Modiba commented as follows:
The meter readers referred to in the complaint are actually the EMM’s contractors who are conducting audits for the 90 day no purchase contract.
The bakkie in question belongs to ITC Electrical. The meter installed at the residence had to be audited.
As part of the audit function, the contractor is required to take a photo of the site visited as proof that he was at the right location.
The GPS coordinates of the property are automatically linked to and indicated on the photo which makes it possible to ensure that the correct location was visited.
The photos that were taken are requirements of the contractual duties of the contractor.
From the Suprima data base it is evident that electrical units for this meter were last attained on June 4 this year when units to the value of R200 were purchased.
No units for this meter were therefore purchased for a period of 133 days, which explains why this meter is on the schedule of meters to be investigated.
