Here is some interesting information regarding the SmartMeters issue in the Emfuleni Local Municipality, compiled by AfriForum Vanderbijlpark and posted yesterday evening (8-8-2019)
There was a council sitting in excess of 5 hours today (8 August 2019) and the issue around SmartMeters was raised while no clear answers were forthcoming. A number of Ward Councillors then insisted on a meeting with the Mayor and after this meeting, the Mayor undertook to give orders that all SmartMeters in all areas be temporary bridged. The Councillors expressed their dismay at the fact that the innocent ratepayers must now pay the price and made it clear that it is very unfair to punish the residents. The Mayor said that work will continue even if it means the electricians must work overtime.
What is understood at the moment, is that the SmartMeters will be bridged out. This means:
1. The meters will be bridged out, and not removed in totality.
2. If you have money loaded on the SmartMeter at the time of bridging, this money will still me measured by the SmartMeter and you will not lose your funds.
3. Your meter will run down to zero, after which it will go into negative units/funds, but the meter itself will continue to measure; it just won’t “cut” power because your balance is negative.
4. If your SmartMeter funds are at zero at the time of bridging, the bridging will reconnect the electricity and you will then run into negative funds on the SmartMeter until ELM has resolved this issue.
5. If you have paid funds over to your SmartMeter but it doesn’t reflect at the time of bridging, these funds will be idle in the ELM account until ELM has made a decision on the final resolution of this SmartMeter mess.
You are encouraged to list your SmartMeter on ELM records for bridging as soon as possible (even if you have units). This can be done in one of four ways:
a. Report your SmartMeter out of units at ELM Electrical Control Room. The numbers are: 016 – 430 1812/1817/1836/1838
b. Report your SmartMeter out of units via the ELM Electrical Control Room e-mail address: Controlelec@emfuleni.gov.za
c. Report your SmartMeter out of units at the MUSS Phone Numbers (please be patient – these people are really working hard):
Office Hours: 016 – 933 9610
After Hours: 076 877 0803
d. Report your SmartMeter out of units at your Ward Councillor and request they send it on to the ELM WhatsApp group; please use the following format:
SmartMeter out of Units and cannot load funds: (Street number & name), (suburb), (Your Name & number), (Your telephone Number), Smartmeter Number 500xxxxxxx (your Smartmeter number)
