Why Polokwane residents can’t recharge prepaid electricity meters
In addition to some residents unable to load electricity units, others' meters have entered 'tamper mode'. The Polokwane Review-Observer explains further.
POLOKWANE – Several residents in the city and the outskirts of Polokwane have reported issues when it comes to recharging their prepaid electricity meters.
While some say they are unable to purchase, others state the system is offline or they are unable to load units on their meters.
During a media briefing this morning, the Polokwane Mayor John Mpe said the issues affecting prepaid recharging stems from damaged street boxes.
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“Ongoing cable theft has also disrupted the functioning of street meters that communicate with household meters, impacting approximately 500 households, especially in various extensions,” he said.
In addition, Mpe noted that some meter boxes have entered “tamper mode” after water exposure due to rain.
“For those unfamiliar, “tamper mode” means that the meter has detected an unauthorized interaction, effectively shutting down functionality until reset. These tamper modes, unfortunately, mean residents cannot access their electricity supply,” he said.
A severe thunderstorm on Monday afternoon brought strong winds and as a result, several supply lines, trees and roof zinc panels were brought down, contributing to the damage.
“Throughout these challenges, our dedicated teams have been on the ground working to support affected residents. For those dealing with tamper-mode meters, our teams have been distributing tamper codes since yesterday, working through the night to restore service. We have also been providing assistance to those struggling with recharging due to damaged meter boxes and we anticipate the arrival of new meter boxes by Friday,” Mpe said.
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He added that the municipality is focusing on resolving these issues in the extensions, Zone 1 and Luthuli Park areas.
“We have managed to restore connection in areas impacted by fallen supply lines from strong winds, specifically Zone 5 E and F.”
Mpe said that electrical related issues should be reported to the municipal electrical helpline on 015 290 2490.
Alternatively, residents can WhatsApp (messages only) 083 824 9886.
