EKURHULENI Metropolitan Municipality wishes to warn residents of con-artists posing as municipal officials, selling prepaid electricity meters and demanding spot fines for alleged tampering with meter boxes.
The metro has received reports of customers receiving hand delivered letters and being approached by the fraudsters to install pre-paid electricity meters at a fee.
“The pre-paid meters installed by the scammers have, in fact, been stolen from other municipalities and whenever the customer buys electricity, the payment amounts are allocated to the municipality that owns the stolen meter and not the metro,” said metro spokesman, Themba Gadebe.
To avoid becoming a victim of crime, residents are advised to follow the following golden rules:
Do not make direct payments or pay spot fines to an individual claiming to be a municipal official. All payments must be over the counter inside the metro’s rates halls.
Upon receiving a letter addressed from the metro, make a follow-up call through the call centre or the 999 number provided on the letter before making any payments.
Residents wishing to change from the conventional credit meter to a pre-paid meter should visit their nearest electricity service centre and fill in an application form at their nearest customer care centre.
Always request a legitimate receipt that can be kept as proof of payment.
If an unlawful pre-paid meter is discovered by meter auditors, the illegitimate meter will be confiscated and the electricity supply will be disconnected. A reinstatement fee of R2 118.60, including VAT, will be charged and a backdated account will be levied, Gadebe said.
Any illegal activities or suspicious behaviour should be reported through the municipal call centre on 086 054 3000.
