Wrongful disconnection leaves companies in the dark
A local company claims that City Power has wrongfully disconnected their electricity during their recent revenue collection drive.
While City Power’s revenue collection drive last week was, according to the entity, largely successful, it was not without its problems. One local company now claims that their electricity was wrongfully disconnected by the entity, resulting in losses amounting to thousands of rands due to loss of productivity.
It goes without saying that some there would be some resistance to the fact that electricity to defaulting residents and business was cut, but according to local businessman Michael Mileman, electricity to their business premises in Liner Avenue, Laser Park, really was wrongfully disconnected.
“We have been embroiled in a dispute with City Power for the last six months regarding our electricity bill,” says Mileman. “Since the installation of the new smart meter about six months ago, our electricity readings have gone through the roof.”
Mileman says that, according to an independent audit of their electricity charges, this has seen the company being charged nearly R700 000 more than normal over the last six months.
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“I don’t see how that is possible,” says Mileman. “That is nearly equal to our electricity usage over the past six years.”
According to Mileman, they have followed all the correct procedures regarding the resolution of this problem with City Power, but they have had very little help from the entity.
“It came to the point where we were forced to appoint a company to audit our bills, and a legal representative to deal with the entity on our behalf.
“This process is still ongoing, and we have been paying a rate each month calculated on our average normal usage. This did not stop City Power from disconnecting our electricity during their revenue collection drive.”
Shortly after the disconnection, Mileman and fellow business owners, who collectively own the property and run business from the premises, appointed a legal representative to deal with City Power.
“Our legal representative, after following the correct protocols, received an assurance from the entity that our electricity will be restored,” he says. “But it is now a week later and we have had no contact from City Power, and we are still without electricity.”
The Northsider reached out to City Power Roodepoort Service Deliver Centre’s senior account executive Chris Semeke, who says that the process is unfolding.
“A team has been dispatched to reconnect the electricity at this premises. Our teams work according to a schedule and it has unfortunately taken some time to do the reconnection.
“Once the reconnection is complete, we will undertake an investigation to determine whether the electricity charges accrued at this property is correct or if there is an error.”
