Ekurhuleni drops reconnection fee for stolen residential cables
To ease financial pressure on households, the City of Ekurhuleni has removed the R1 500 reconnection fee for replacing stolen residential service cables, following policy changes announced in the mayor’s State of the City Address.
The CoE has introduced a revised policy on stolen residential service connection cables, scrapping the R1 500 reconnection fee to ease the financial burden on residents.
This revision follows Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza’s announcement during the State of the City Address and was reaffirmed by MMC for Finance and Strategic Planning, Jongizizwe Dlabathi, during the May budget speech.
Under the new policy, the city will now replace stolen residential service connection cables free of charge.
However, business customers do not get this benefit. According to city spokesperson Zweli Dlamini, the city will handle cable replacements for businesses on a quotation basis.
To qualify for the free replacement, residents must:
• report the theft to the relevant energy department depot;
• obtain a reference number from the call centre;
• submit a police statement and case number.
A job card will be created only if the customer’s municipal account is not in arrears.
“In the case of a municipal account being in arrears, the customer must settle the arrears or provide proof of arrangements made with the Finance Department before a job card is created,” said CoE spokesperson Zweli Dlamini.
“For prepaid meters, electricity purchase records will be checked. Cable replacement will not happen for bypassed meters until a back-billing report is completed and the customer has paid the prescribed fees and tariffs relating to the bypassed meter.”
Apart from fees for arrears or meter tampering, there is no charge for replacing stolen service connection cables.
The cable will be replaced up to the point of supply, as determined by the city.
“Where paving or landscaping must be disturbed for installation of the new service connection cable, the owner is responsible for reinstating it,” Dlamini said.
He said the municipality will not be liable for any loss or damage – direct or consequential – resulting from entering a customer’s premises to replace a stolen service cable.
“An affidavit releasing the municipality from liability must be obtained from the customer before any work begins,” said Dlamini.
