Halting installations of smart meters costs ELM revenue

But the resumption is accompanied by an internal municipal investigation into service provider BXC on contractual and other pointless issues critics say have long-since been settled by the High Court and Council resolution.

Smart meter installations were halted several weeks ago on the order of Public Works MMC Tumi Mochawe, which set back the entire programme and has severely affected Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM) revenue.

Controversy has also erupted on the credibility and independence of the internal investigation – headed by new municipal electricity department manager Sinenhlanhla Manqele.

No official announcement has yet been made but a copy of the investigation parameters has been widely circulated on social media by ELM.

The move has been met with stiff opposition both within the Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM) and the political arena who say the decision to halt installations in the first place by the MMC Public Works was illegal.

Falling behind on smart meter revenue schedules has also resulted in a threat to ELM’s participation in the National Treasury Municipal Debt Relief Programme which is paying ELM’s debt to Eskom.

Halting installations of smart meters has now cost ELM the revenue of more than 1 000 smart meters which could already have been installed and earning revenue for the local authority.

BXC Project Manager Dawid Dirks confirmed that BXC had resumed installations this week and that so far about 6 500 electricity smart meters and 1 500 smart water meters had already been installed.

Democratic Alliance Councillor Maureen Dosoudil said MMC Mochawa’s actions were illegal and interfered in the administration of ELM.

“MMC Mochawe should be disciplined and brought to order immediately,” says Dosoudil.

ELM nor MMC Mochawe’s office responded to requests for comment.