According to Willie Steenberg of the ERA, this rollout will benefit residents in good standing, whose meters show no signs of tampering. “All untampered meters belonging to residents in good standing will be replaced, and from tomorrow, all existing credit on the old meter will be transferred to the new Smart Meter,” Steenberg confirmed. “Each installation will also come with five complimentary electricity units. We urge residents to take a photo of their current unit balance before the meter is removed, for record-keeping.”

However, a different procedure will apply to meters that show signs of tampering.

Mondli Buthelezi, Technical Services Manager, elaborated: “If there is clear evidence that a meter has been tampered with, a new Smart Meter will still be installed, along with five free units. However, a penalty fee of R500 will be required before the resident is able to purchase additional electricity units.”

The new Smart Meters will come with a remote control, which Ashley Govender of Conlog explained requires two AA batteries for functionality. “These remotes allow residents to load electricity units onto the Smart Meter easily and efficiently,” said Govender.

To address residents’ concerns about compliance, Buthelezi assured the public: “The installation of the Smart Meter does not affect the Certificate of Compliance (COC) status of the property. All installations are carried out by certified and registered electricians.”

Residents are requested to grant installers access to their properties during this period. For any queries or if assistance is required, community members are encouraged to contact Willie Steenberg directly at 073 847 4898.