POLOKWANE – The DA in the Polokwane council says it was blindsided by the municipality’s launch of 50 000 new smart meters, alleging that the rollout lacks proper stakeholder engagement.

The meters, which include prepaid water and electricity units, were unveiled last Wednesday by municipal leadership.

Polokwane Mayor John Mpe told BONUS that the installation phase has already begun, with priority areas including Mankweng, Seshego, and parts of the city, particularly households with faulty or non-existent meters.

Speaking during a media briefing at the old Peter Mokaba Stadium, and joined by the newly appointed contractors, Mpe explained that smart meters enable two-way communication and real-time data, allowing for automatic remote readings – unlike traditional meters that require manual readings, which are often prone to error.

To reduce costs, Mpe said contractors will be compensated based on each connected meter.

They will receive 30% of the revenue generated from the installed meters, with the remainder flowing into municipal coffers.

While acknowledging that such projects are generally welcome, DA councillor Jacques Joubert expressed concerns based on past rollouts.

“Previous experience has shown us that the ANC-led administration tends to jump in headfirst and stumble during implementation,” he said.

Joubert criticised the exclusion of ward councillors and portfolio members from the launch briefing, saying they were denied access to the presentations shared with media.

“Ward councillors are the link between residents and the administration, and this has been blatantly ignored,” he noted.

He added that some residents had already contacted the DA, raising safety concerns as contractors arrived to install meters without prior communication.

“One can understand that residents cannot allow people who arrive unannounced and ask for access to their properties,” Joubert said.

He confirmed that he would be writing to Mpe and the municipal manager Thuso Nemugumoni to formally raise these concerns.

Mpe said the municipality would respond directly to all queries and concerns as they arise.