Despite having paid an account that was in arrears, a Pretoria east pensioner is still in the dark after the Tshwane metro switched off his power.

Boudewijn Kok (78) has been off the grid for over seven weeks now.

Part of the municipality’s campaign disconnecting residents and businesses that owe the municipality money, Kok suffered the same fate.

Kok’s power was disconnected January 7. He then paid the full outstanding amount of R10 512 to the metro on January 15.

Yet according to Kok, as of Monday, seven weeks later, he had still not been reconnected.

He visited Pretoria Rekord last week after he read an article that the metro reconnected institutions such as Gautrain after paying the municipality.

“I was surprised that I spent weeks without my power connection after I paid what I owed them but there are companies that get reconnected in a day. I wondered as to why a resident would not get the same treatment,” Kok said.

“On the municipality’s website it says that they will connect you within four hours after paying your account but for me it has been over seven weeks,” Kok said.

“I paid on January 15 and reported to credit control, reconnection services and was forwarded to escalations but I am still without power. Tshwane is quick to cut people off but slow to connect you back on.”

Pretoria Rekord was shown the trail of emails sent to the metro complaint channels.

“I take accountability that I was behind on my payments but I paid what was due to the municipality after receiving the demand letter. This just means that someone is incapable and not willing to help,” Kok said.

“My power was cut off on a Friday around lunch time. Knowing very well that it would be difficult to arrange everything the same day, I had to improvise and get a heat pump for the geyser because I hate washing with cold water, I am too old for that.”

Living off the grid, Kok said it meant careful use of power to store enough electricity, also for rainy days.

“I cannot use things that consume too much power. I do not use the stove to cook, instead I use the air fryer and microwave.”

During the weekend of floods in Tshwane in February, Kok said the stored electricity saved him.

“On that particular weekend, what saved me was that my batteries were fully charged. Even when it is overcast I still generate enough electricity to use during the rainy days.”

Kok’s battle with the municipality started in July 2021, when he paid into an old account that was under his name and his late wife Wilhelmina Johanna, who lost a battle to cancer in 2017.

“I have tried since July 2021 to get the municipality to transfer the money to the new account I created after my wife died but that also has not been resolved.

“That is how my account began to be in arrears because I refused to pay the municipality twice and I am still trying to recoup that money.”

Another resident from La Montagne in the east of Pretoria, who requested not to be named, said her power was cut off for two days in spite of owing nothing to the municipality.

The resident showed Pretoria Rekord her account records which reflected she only owed the metro 71 cents and her next outstanding pay date was due on March 11.

“I stay in a complex and the metro was switching off people who were behind on their payments. I was not behind and did not receive a demand letter but my power was also switched off. When I called the metro I was told it was an error and was fixed after two days.

“I fear that the next time someone might be behind I might suffer from the same mistake as if I live in a complex.”.

“I had to bathe with cold water, use candles for light, I could not cook and food that was in the fridge was ruined, those were my challenges.”

An enquiry was sent to the metro regarding Kok’s plight but no response was received by the time of publishing.

Last week the metro announced that through the #TshwaneYaTima revenue collection campaign, it managed to recoup over R500m.

A total of 1 061 accounts were disconnected, including 533 government and 528 business accounts.