Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM) Councillors and officials have again expressed support for the BXC smart meter programme but said it had to be implemented even faster to benefit consumers and the local authority.

Installing smart meters is a major requirement not only of an ELM council Resolution, but also of ELM’s continuation in the National Treasury’s municipal Debt Relief Programme.

The Treasury programme writes of municipal debt to Eskom in return for strict adherence to financial controls and increased revenue generation and collection, including vastly expanded smart meter installations.

Almost a third – almost R2 billion – has already been written off by Treasury leaving almost R5 billion of the original R7 billion Eskom debt remaining.

Writing off the debt is not automatic and ELM and other municipalities on the programme must subject themselves to stringent measures to increase not only revenue generation and security, but also a series of financial management requirements.

ELM reportedly scored 84% on its performance with Treasury.

BXC’s smart meter programme includes electricity and smart water meters and is also focused on cracking down on bypassing of smart meters,

In 2024, BXC and ELM collected more than R2,1 million from residents and businesses in stolen electricity and fines after smart meters were bypassed.

BXC can immediately pick up elecronically if a smart meter has been bypassed and the service provider and ELM have adopted a zero tolerance policy from the outset.