Kempton Park resident in trouble after tenant tampers with electricity meter

Kempton Park resident Jon-Pierre Smith faces financial devastation because of his tenant’s illegal actions.

Despite being a responsible property owner, Smith said he was left to bear the consequences of his tenant’s electricity theft.

According to Smith, the tenant moved onto his property in December 2021 and last bought prepaid electricity in January 2023.

He claims the tenant frequently tampered with the electricity meter to access power illegally.

Smith claims the CoE only notified him of these illegal connections in October 2024, despite inspections revealing tampering as early as January and May 2024.

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“I immediately opened a case at the Norkem Park SAPS and asked the council to disconnect the electricity supply.

However, I was billed R91 816.43 for the illegal electricity use, which I neither authorised nor benefitted from,” said Smith.

He said the tenant was arrested in November 2024, and their trial is scheduled for March.

Meanwhile, the financial burden of the bill has forced him to give notice at his current residence.

“The emotional and financial strain has become unbearable. I feel trapped in a situation where the system unfairly penalises law-abiding citizens,” he said.

Smith said the property is no longer rented out. He has moved in with his family and now has no electricity supply because of the ongoing matter.

He believes installing a prepaid meter that requires direct registration with the municipality could ensure accountability falls solely on the user.

While property owners are responsible for property management, Smith emphasised that tenants must use utilities lawfully. He also called for the municipality to implement a real-time alert system to notify landlords immediately when tampering is detected.

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“The tenant’s deliberate criminal actions were beyond my control,” Smith stated.

“This case highlights the urgent need for municipal policy reform to ensure property owners are not unfairly held liable for their tenants’ unlawful actions.

“The current system fails to distinguish between responsible owners and criminal tenants, leaving innocent individuals like me to bear the consequences.”

Smith appeals for public awareness and systemic change to protect other property owners from similar injustices.

Additionally, he needs help to get a full waiver of the charges to relieve the financial and emotional burden.

He said he had tried to resolve the matter through official channels, including escalating it to the office of the mayor of Ekurhuleni. However, despite multiple follow-ups, he has received no resolution.

City spokesperson Zweli Dlamini confirmed that the city was aware of the electricity tampering but said the electricity consumer or the property owner remains liable for all electricity consumed.

Dlamini said the city employs dynamic monitoring mechanisms to detect and prevent meter tampering.

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“The mechanisms continuously evolve because transgressors find new ways to tamper with municipal infrastructure. However, when we catch you, we will arrest you,” said Dlamini.

“The crime should not have happened in the first place, especially if there is a landlord. The landlord must monitor their property and ensure municipal bylaws are upheld.”

He reiterated that tampering with municipal infrastructure is unlawful and that managing property owner and tenant relationships falls outside the Energy Department’s functions.

Despite this, the city maintains that it successfully identified and prevented the illegal electricity use at Smith’s property.