Sunninghill pensioner left without water after meter mix-up
A 72-year-old Sunninghill resident has been left without water after Johannesburg Water allegedly installed his smart meter on the wrong property.
Sunninghill pensioner Daniel Oganah (72) has been without water for more than a week after Johannesburg Water (JW) allegedly installed a smart meter on the wrong property, leaving him caught in a billing and supply nightmare.
Oganah, who has lived on Edison Crescent for two decades, said the trouble began in September 2024 when JW officials arrived at his home, ERF 137, and replaced his water meter with a smart meter.
“I had not requested the smart meter, nor had I given instructions for the removal of the existing meter. I thought it was just a normal upgrade,” he said.
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However, three months later, in December, Oganah received a pre-termination notice despite not having received any bills since the upgrade.
He said he had made several visits to the JW offices, where officials assured him the matter would be investigated. But last week, things worsened when Oganah turned on his taps and found he had no water.
“When I checked outside, there was no meter at all. It had either been removed or stolen,” he said.
On examining the paperwork linked to his case, Oganah made a shocking discovery: the smart meter that was meant for his home had been registered to ERF 139, Edison Crescent, not ERF 137, a completely different property.
“At my age, this has been extremely stressful, and it is taking a toll on my health and well-being,” said Oganah.
He is now appealing for urgent intervention from JW to restore his water supply and correct the administrative error.
Fourways Review reached out to Johannesburg Water about this issue, and Nolwazi Dlamini acknowledged the inquiry.
“We’ve noted your query and are liaising with the relevant depot to get more information for you.
“Johannesburg Water will respond within our standard turnaround time of 48 hours, depending on the complexity of the matter and the input required from relevant technical departments.”
More information will be provided once it becomes available.
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