Eskom blitz leaves upmarket Midrand estate powerless

Eskom has left residents of Waterfall Estates in Midrand in the dark after removing illegal connections on Thursday, The Citizen reports.

The power utility conducted audits on smart meters as part of the energy management campaign to curb financial losses due to meter bypasses in residential areas and the illegal connections by some developers.

These were identified through data analytics of smart meters and energy delivered in the area, said Eskom.

“During the operation, the power utility also monitored the state of the electrical infrastructure to ensure that our network is in a safe and operational condition. This operation was undertaken with the aim of addressing energy theft and to recover revenue lost through illegal activities which includes meter bypasses and non-adherence to Eskom’s Standard Conditions of Supply,” said Daphne Mokwena, Eskom senior manager for customer services in the province.

“These audits are conducted proactively in the residential and commercial sectors as part of the energy management strategy that is aimed at curbing energy losses, and recovering monies due to us to sustain our operations.”

Mokwena called on customers to adhere to Eskom’s supply conditions when doing electricity installations in their residences and businesses.

This was not the first upmarket estate to have its power disconnected.

In late September, City Power cut electricity supply at several posh estates in Dainfern, saying residents at 204 properties owed millions in revenue, with the highest single debt for one customer being R1.4 million.

The total owed by residents at the time was R13 million.

Customers were encouraged to report illegal connections, illegal operations or any unsafe activities to the Eskom toll-free crime reporting line: 0800 11 27 22.

Revenue Collection is back in Dainfern to complete some of the work to recover the debt owed to the @CityofJoburgZA. pic.twitter.com/2O14ymaI3x

— @CityPowerJhb (@CityPowerJhb) September 30, 2020