The City of Ekurhuleni is calling on residents to make use of available electricity payment plans and to avoid the dangers of illegal connections.

CoE spokesperson Zweli Dlamini told the Springs Advertiser that the metro introduced debt rehabilitation options to assist residents struggling with electricity and municipal account payments, while warning against the risks and consequences of illegal connections.

He said the metro’s Debt Rehabilitation Incentives, running until next June, are available to households based on their property value.

For residential properties valued under R3m, the scheme offers a 75% write-off on debt older than one year, which includes rates, service charges, interest and other costs.

The remaining debt is placed in a consolidated arrangement account to be written off incrementally over 36 months, provided residents keep up with current account payments.

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For properties valued above R3m, residents may qualify for a 100% write-off of interest debt and a 10% write-off on rates and other services older than one year.

This debt is written off over 12 months, while the balance (excluding current accounts) can be repaid over a maximum of 36 months in line with credit control policies.

Indigent households, those with a combined income of less than two minimum wages and a property value not exceeding R1.5m – may qualify for free basic services such as 50 kWh of electricity per month, water, and full rebates on rates and refuse collection.

Deemed indigents with properties valued below R600 000 automatically qualify without application. Regarding illegal connections, Dlamini stressed that the metro applies strict penalties.

“On the first offence, customers face a reinstatement fee of R5 000, which doubles for a second offence and triples for a third.

“A fourth incident may result in the removal of the service connection altogether, forcing the customer to reapply at their own cost, and could also lead to prosecution under municipal bylaws,” he said.

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The city also recovers lost revenue through back billing, either using historical usage records or monitoring new usage patterns when records are unavailable. To tackle the problem, the metro conducts blitz operations with

EMPD, SAPS and security contractors, and runs awareness campaigns such as open days to educate residents on safe electricity use, legal connections and energy savings.

“Our call to action emphasises safety, reliability and financial responsibility, encouraging residents to report illegal activity and cooperate with authorities to prevent dangerous incidents like electrocutions and fires, and to ensure fair access to services for paying customers.

“The metro highlights the severe consequences, including infrastructure damage, power outages and financial strain on honest citizens, urging collective community action to safeguard public safety and a stable power supply,” Dlamini said.

For more information, residents can contact the city’s indigent support office at their local Customer Care Centre.