To date, the Newcastle Municipality has installed 473 prepaid electricity meters.
In confirming the figures, Director of Revenue, Valuations and Debt Management, Asha Haripersad highlighted the process thus far, and what residents could expect. “The prepaid electricity meters were rolled out in Newcastle West during October 2015. The allocations of the meters were done on a first-come, first-served basis.”
The option of prepaid meters was only available to single residential consumers during phase one of the roll-out, owing to the Electricity Supply Bylaws.
These exclude townhouses and body corporates. “Initially, we had indicated to customers that a prerequisite for the installation of the prepaid electricity meters, was their account be fully paid up. However, many customers came forward and indicated they would like to control their electricity consumption, and opt for the prepaid option, but had an outstanding amount due on their accounts.” Mrs Haripersad said it was therefore decided to make prepaid meters available to customers with outstanding debt, provided a written arrangement in respect of that amount was made.
“Non-payment of the agreed amount and other municipal services charges, such as rates, refuse and sewage, will result in your electricity being terminated, and the customer unable to purchase electricity tokens from any vendor, as they will be blocked on the system.” The decision was made, owing to electricity consumption forming a major percentage of a consumer’s account. “Hence, should the consumer have a prepaid electricity meter, this will assist in him or her monitoring their consumption.”
The municipality is deliberating on rolling out prepaid meters to more residents in the latter half of the year, after the budget consultation process ends.
Thus far, electricity tokens are available for purchase from five spots in town.
These are the Newcastle Civic Centre, the Caltex garages in Barry Hertzog Park, Lennoxton and Ayliff Street, and Taxi City Spar.
“We are currently working on the purchasing of tokens via EasyPay, online banking and cellphone banking through the service provider.” Electricity consumption became a huge point of outrage last year, when many residents received greatly inflated municipal accounts.
It remains to be seen if the prepaid metering system will eliminate such problems.
For now, Mrs Haripersad concluded, the subsidised cost of the meters is R1 300, and residents can contact Ntando Khumalo or Nkululeko Nkosi at the municipality for more information.
