The “Power and Light to You” street light social responsibility programme by Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM) service provider BXC has literally lit up large parts of Three Rivers by night in the crime-plagued area as more previously-installed smart meters are reactivated.

And where BXC has been active, the streets that were long accustomed to darkness and criminal dominance, have come to light as well.

The areas already benefiting are largely Extension One in Three Rivers but a handful of street lamps have also been fixed in CE1 in Vanderbijlpark as BXC prepares a reactivation drive there and in nearby SE3.

Now these Vanderbijlpark areas will also benefit from the BXC drive to fix street lights wherever they reactivate or later install smart meters.

“Bringing light and power to communities through smart meters which also give account-holders – both residents and businesses – back the power to control their account and monitor and control consumption is the core of what BXC does,” said BXC Project Manager Dawid Dirks.

Public participation processes involving communities, residents, businesses, civil society and councillors have already been held in CE1 and SE3 recently, said Dirks.

“About 11 smart meters have also been sent for independent expert and accredited testing on accurate consumption measurement to satisfy residents and businesses that power consumption was measured accurately,” Dirks added.

The testing is being done by PMT lab on the basis of SA National Standards requirements. Feedback to residents would be given as soon as the testing – paid for by BXC – has been concluded, Dirks added. This was to accommodate concerns from SE3 about the accuracy of smart meters.

Presently BXC is only reactivating about 7000 smart meters installed throughout Emfuleni in a previous programme but as soon as these are functional BXC will focus on new installations.