‘In the dark because metro cannot find keys to meter box’
"I have received absolute silence, no one has advised on timelines or attempted to find a work around so that I can have power. All I have been offered is ‘we’re looking for the keys‘,” a Heuwelsoord resident says.
A resident from Centurion was recently left in the dark for more than a week after she was unable to load prepaid electricity on her meter.
Tshwane metro spokesperson, Lindela Mashigo said “the complaint was attended to and the feedback received was that the meter had been recharged”.
He said the Tshwane metro is installing prepaid electricity meters to residential consumers to curb accounts in arrears.
“The meter is pre-programmed with 5kWh to give the consumer time to load units after installation.”
But Ayn du Bazane from Heuweloord said Tshwane metro technicians only arrived eight days after she complained to break open a street meter box to enable her to load electricity.
“They were not able to assist me to gain access to my pre-paid meter since last Friday.
“Tswhane metro’s Meter Division despatched technicians advised me that my meter can only be fixed by gaining entry to the tamperproof meter boxes, largely unique to Heuweloord.
“After numerous calls to the Tshwane call centre and escalations to my local ward councillor and follow ups through the SMS portal, I made my way to Centurion municipal offices on Tuesday. This also did not help.”
According to Du Bazane she was then “sent back to my dark home without timelines, an indication of any solution, or a sense of urgency or concern on their part”.
“I pay my municipal bill promptly and without fail and have no outstanding debt with the municipality. However, missing ‘keys’ caused me to have spent nearly a week without electricity that I have already paid for.”
Du Bazane said the food in her fridge went off and she was unable to work from home.
“To survive, I have acquired a gas canister, UPS, several battery powered lights and demonstrated saint-like patience with and courtesy to the metro as this error sounds so easily rectified.
“In return, I have received absolute silence, no one has advised on timelines or attempted to find a work around so that I can have power. All I have been offered is ‘we’re looking for the keys’.”
In addition to the “preposterous notion that the meters division does not have access to their own street meter boxes, the idea that there’s a single key that takes a week to ‘find’ is infuriating”.
She said she believes every Heuweloord resident is at risk because faults with electric devices happen all the time.
“My reference numbers have changed over the last week as well and the timeline does not reflect the numerous calls to the metro’s call centre. I also need to mention calls often go unanswered after holding on for 20 minutes.”
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