ELM smart meter contract to be extended
Smart meter consumers have expressed fears that they may again be forced to bypass smart meters to gain access to electricity - as happened in 2019 when the municipality terminated the BXC contract without warning or any contingency planning whatsoever.
Concerned smart meter users in Emfuleni have been assured that no electricity supply interruptions will take place due to the ending of service provider BXC’s present contract this week – with a contract extension expected to be in place in due course.
In 2019 BXC implemented a bridging programme on its initiative to keep services going to the public at its own cost – and is now reportedly doing the same to avoid supply interruptions.
BXC’s contract ended formally on 29 February but Vaalweekblad understands that steps have already been taken by the Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM) to extend its contract for a further three years from 1 March 2024.
Councillor Daleen Vanter (DA Three Rivers) convened a special meeting for Thursday 29 February for smart meter users in the area to be informed on latest developments with regard to the BXC contract.
Three Rivers has the largest concentration of BXC smart meters in Emfuleni.
BXC Project Manager Dawid Dirks last night also assured smart meter consumers at the Three Rivers meeting that no interruptions in supply would take place due to contractual factors.
Concerned residents contacted Vaalweekblad this week to voice fears that vending supply for pre-paid smart meters could be interrupted again through contractual uncertainty.
However, Vaalweekblad established that BXC is still in place for at least the month of March as a bridging measure but that a contract renewal for BXC was in the pipeline and expected to be in force from 1 March 2024.
In 2019 then ELM acting Municipal Manager Oupa Nkoane and CFO Andile Dyakala caused chaos throughout Emfuleni through the arbitrary and illegal termination of the BXC contract – with the Gauteng Provincial Government slamming both officials for irresponsible behaviour at the time.
Their high-handed and illegal action cost ELM almost R1 billion in lost revenue and resulted in a massive surge in pre-paid meter bypassing by residents and businesses – even almost five years later in 2024 only about 18000 prepaid meters out of 72 000 in Emfuleni produce revenue.
BXC’s first contract cancelled by Nkoane and Dyakala was subequently re-instated by the Johannesburg High Court in a record R500 million judgment in favour of BXC.
