Dumped smart meter keypads raise concerns in eMbalenhle

Electricity smart meter keypads were found dumped on open veld near the eMbalenhle Sasol Club on July 30, raising concerns among community members about the handling of municipal infrastructure.

Residents passing through the area discovered several smart meter keypads that had been stripped of their wiring.

Some community members expressed concern, saying the Govan Mbeki Municipality had spent millions of rand on the smart meter programme and questioned why the devices had apparently been discarded.

Vusi Sibeko, one of the community members who responded after the electricity meter keypads were discovered, criticised the municipality for being reckless and failing to protect its property.

“It’s shocking that the key pads are found dumped in the veld, though millions of rand were spent on buying them. This needs to be thoroughly investigated to ensure accountability.

“Residents must be informed how many key pads were lost, how much GMM paid for them and how much it will cost to be replaced,” said Sibeko

Addressing council on July 29, the Executive Mayor Nhlakanipho Zuma said the municipality had by June 30 installed 45 000 electricity smart meters through internal funding and that the number had likely increased since.

He said the rollout had significantly reduced electricity losses, which had previously stood at 75% but had now dropped to 37%.

“This has assisted us to reduce electricity losses plaguing the municipality for many years. The reduction has also resulted in increased revenue collection from prepaid electricity,” he said.

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Zuma also updated council on the municipality’s debt repayment arrangements with Eskom. The municipality had been mandated to seek legal and technical advice from the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) regarding the Distribution Agency Agreement (DAA).

“Under the proposed agreement, Eskom requires the municipality to pay an average of 55% of its monthly account, or at least R45m every month. In addition, Eskom requires R79m from the municipality’s equitable share allocation,” said Zuma.

He added that the municipality had complied with Eskom’s payment requirements for July after receiving its equitable share allocation.

“I can safely say we have honoured Eskom’s requirements for the month of July. Our engagements with Eskom and National Treasury are ongoing, as we have raised concerns that the September deadline is not feasible because we still need to conduct thorough consultations with communities,” he said.

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According to Zuma, the municipality has requested that the implementation date be reviewed and is awaiting guidance from SALGA before signing the agreement.

“We are waiting for SALGA before signing this agreement to ensure that it does not infringe on the constitutional rights of the municipality or consumers, and that it does not negatively affect the municipality’s budget,” Zuma said.

It remains unclear how the smart meter keypads found near the Sasol Club ended up at the site or whether they were decommissioned, damaged or illegally removed.

The Govan Mbeki Municipality is investigating a trend involving the theft of electricity meter keypad units from residential properties in eMbalenhle.

Donald Green, the municipality media liaison and content developer, said preliminary findings indicate that these incidents do not appear to involve contractors; instead, there are indications that criminals are breaking into homes to steal keypad units.

“At this stage, the motive for these thefts remains unclear. We urge customers to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity around electricity meter installations or anyone attempting to tamper with metering equipment.

“Customers are also encouraged to ensure that any incidents of theft or break-ins are reported to the SAPS without delay.

“The municipality is working closely with law enforcement and other stakeholders to identify those responsible and to protect critical electricity infrastructure,” said Green.

Green said theft and vandalism of metering equipment disrupt electricity services, increase operational costs and ultimately affect all customers.

“Further updates will be provided as the investigation progresses,” said Green.