Johannesburg’s electricity distributor, City Power, is battling to claw back more than R10.6b in unpaid bills from defaulting customers, with its latest revenue recovery campaign zeroing in on the Hursthill Service Delivery Centre (SDC).

According to the utility, debts are spread across all eight of its service centres. The Inner City SDC tops the list with R2.919b owed and Reuven owes R2.51b. Other centres also carry heavy arrears: Hursthill (R1.681b), Lenasia (R910m), Roodepoort (R870m), Randburg (R740m), Alexandra (R522m), and Midrand (R463m).

Read more: City Power shines light on streetlight repairs and future innovations

Overall, large power users owe R3.527b, businesses R2.224b, and residential customers the largest share at R4.865b.

City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena said the utility is making headway in recovering the arrears, particularly in Hursthill. “Since the launch of our Billion-Rand Blitz campaign on July 4, we have already recovered just over R72m. While this is only a fraction of what is owed, it shows that our disconnection drives and customer engagements are working.”

Mangena admitted that not all customers have been co-operative. “One of the biggest challenges we face is the reluctance of defaulting customers to settle their debts, even when we offer flexible repayment options, such as 50% upfront with the balance over six months, or 30% upfront with the balance over three months. This lack of co-operation undermines recovery efforts.”

Also read: City Powers strategy to recover millions from defaulters

Another persistent challenge is illegal reconnections, where customers unlawfully restore electricity after being disconnected. In some cases, businesses and households have extended illegal supply to
neighbouring properties, further complicating revenue collection.

The consequences of these practices can be deadly. In Crosby, a recent electrocution occurred when a household illegally extended cables from a distribution box to backyard rooms. The lack of an earth leakage system proved fatal. “These connections are not only financially damaging but extremely dangerous. We urge customers to stop illegal connections for their own safety and that of their communities.”

City Power says it uses a data-driven approach to decide where to deploy enforcement teams. Their processes involve reviewing customer payment patterns across supply areas, prioritising high-debt accounts, regardless of location, identifying customers who consistently fail to make payments, even if the amounts are small, targeting accounts that are inactive or suspected of electricity theft through illegal connections
or reconnections, and high-risk areas that experience significant network overloading, caused by illegal connections.

City Power also engages directly with defaulters, encouraging them to make payment arrangements. Where customers remain non-compliant, service disconnections are carried out in line with their policies.

Follow us on our Whatsapp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok for the latest updates!