Elderly Craighall Park couple face R143k City Power bill, for a meter that’s not theirs
Barrie and Geraldine Brookstone use just two rooms and a few basic appliances, yet they’ve been threatened with disconnection over a bill tied to a meter they say isn’t even on their property.
An elderly Craighall Park couple is questioning how they’ve racked up a R143 806,12 City Power bill – when they barely use electricity and the meter number on their bill doesn’t match the actual meter at their home.
Barrie (75) and Geraldine (74) Brookstone say they’ve received several disconnection notices from the city, despite only using electricity in their bedroom and lounge. “We watch TV at night, keep the geyser on for two hours a day, and the fridge runs. That’s all,” said Barrie.
Their most recent notice, issued on July 1, shows nearly R100 000 in current usage, a figure they say is impossible given their lifestyle.
The couple believes they are being charged for someone else’s electricity. “We’ve checked, the meter number on the bill and the actual meter at our house are completely different,” said Barrie.
Also read: Residents along Louis Botha Avenue furious as City Power fails to fix damaged infrastructure
They’ve already spent about R17 000 trying to replace meters, and at one point, Barrie was told to pay R4 000 into a private account to get help. “It felt wrong, but I was desperate,” he said.
Now, with their home under offer, the unresolved account is holding up the sale. “We just want to move forward, but we can’t until this is sorted,” Barrie said.
The Gazette will be contacting City Power for comment and will update the article when a response is received.
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