Joburg Power...Warning

@larch it is not free you gonna pay R2000 to make the change over guy... And all the bitching is due to the fact that is has not work for two nights in a row I think I am aloud to bitch...

 

Can you provide source for this claims something we can read, because as far as I know they cant force you too change the meter.

 

How about the name and number of the contractors doing it?

or maybe listen to 94.7 right now they busy speaking about it as I type this...

LArch they installed at my place with out my permistion or request, if you live in Gauteng you dont have a choice...

 

I just want it on black and white that you dont have a choice it is a simple request as for the whole story here it is:

Firstly it seems to be free nowhere does it state you need to pay for it as the local government has already budgeted for it (and I read a bunch of articles regarding this) Secondly:

It says "may" they only seem to want to install these meters were they are having billing issues or were they are having trouble either getting to the meter or have trouble reading it. That is my understanding.

 

@larch been at the new property for 7 months now, never had any issues with billings, the previous owners never had issues either, the meters are on the streets, so no problem getting to the metters.

Dude all I am tell you guys is that according to the contrectors they have been instructed to change Gauteng to prepaid, free for now the rest will pay you wanna fight it take it up with them. OR wait till they come knocking on your door or cut your power, I dont really care if you believe me or not, and as for what you see or read online is not hard and fast law, if you have lived in this country at all for the last 5 years you should know this.

 

I think you should call City Power because you have been clearly taken for a ride. They should call and inform you first before they do anything which they clearly did not do and as the article stated it should be free.

Why so aggro?, I just want the facts clear and simple so that everyone understands it properly. As for the hard and fast law, your meters is property of the Gauteng government which means they are charged with replacing or fixing it should it break or replacing it (Obviously this does not apply if it was tampered with or some other damage happens to it) as far as I am aware.

 

Dude I called Joburg Power they told me this is whats happening, they also told me that everyone in Gauteng is having it done wheither you like it or not!
and thats a direct quote from City Power... and eskom as a matter of fact whom is my clients...

The first couple WILL be free the rest will pay. Cant be more clear than this, as a result I am taken everone involve to court, as not even my lawyers are aware of this.

I began this post to inform you of what I have been told... use it dont use what ever but when you get a home and there is a piece of paper stuck on your door from City Power informing this has been done dont say you did not know.

 

My meter is inside my property. They basically always estimate because a) I'm at work all day, every day - you know, working hours and all that, some of us need a job to pay for our power
and b) they never ever put the reading date on the invoice even though the invoice template has a spot for next reading date

On the plus side they can't cut me off without access to my property. Legally I can't deny them access but at least they can't do it at 8am so that when I get home it's after 5 and everything's defrosted. With the billing chaos though prepaid sounds like a good plan. You can buy power online and on your cellphone so it's not too inconvenient.

 

Nope it is not inconvenient bar the fact that I have not had power for the last two nights, so let's see what happens when we get home tonight!!!

 

Slow down guys....

Larch, whilst you have given facts, they are only half the truth.

Electricity is provided by 2 service providers. EIther JHB Council, or Eskom direct. Obviously Eskom direct supplies jhb council. JHB council members are being changed (MANDATORY) in Gauteng free of charge. If You personally REQUEST a prepaid meter, you are put into a que, and IF you are jhb client, it will be changed (on their time) free of charge. You could wait up to 18 months. If you Request, but are not prepared to wait, you are billed. If you pay Eskom for your electricity, you pay for the meter.

Another thing... the cable up to the meter, the meter AND the box the meter is in belongs to council (or eskom) Legally this box HAS to be on the pavement. If it is inside your property, it is illegal. Council did a drive about 15 years ago where everyone's water meter and electric meter was moved from the boxes on the houses to new points on boundary walls. Obviously this was seriously underfunded, and was never brought to completion. On new houses now, council will provide the box for the developer, and request it to be outside. Jhb water install their box and meter on the pavement themselves.

I cannot provide (@larch) with a link to all this (sorry bud, for once you cannot google it, and for once you going to have to take someone's word for it)... but I deal with City Power with all the houses I build, and what I have disclosed is what I have been told, paid for, applied for etc.

It was a HUGE discussion on 702 a few weeks ago as well. They had some electrical minister or some hotshot being interviewed, and the summary at the end was simple: You WILL be forced to change over to prepaid in Gauteng, and you MAY be liable for the installation costs (period)

 

Thanks for the info @Zoom you should know being in construction...

 

Take a chill pill dude we were having a discussion take a deep breath and exhale, thanks for the info Zoom. But as far as all the online articles and what friends have told me they are doing these installations for free I know about 4 people who changed over and they weren't charged anything.

 

Yeah, I know. In theory you shouldn't be charged, mostly because it's to rectify a billing problem, and according to law, the meter belongs to the council.... i.e their cost. As far as I am aware, they haven't started billing for the installations as of yet. From what I can understand is if you are in a hurry to get it, and you not prepared to wait your turn, you get billed because an independent electrician will install. I suppose it will also come down to the funds allocated to the project. A certain amount of money has been dedicated to roll out x amount of pre-paid meters, and when that's up, we make the clients pay.

Just look at Eskom's solar geyser rebate... as of next week Friday it no longer exists!

 

Reason why they stopped it was because people were faking the installation of a Solar Geyser they would go to a contractor and the contractor would draw up a "invoice" which the person takes to Eskom to get their rebate and then the people would basically give a cut of the money to the contractor and keep the rest for themselves free money in your pocket.

 

Don't believe people got away with this. Eskom only did rebate AFTER they did site inspection. They refused to pay out unless they had an inspector check it out.

They stopping it because the money that they put aside for the rebates has not been exhausted. A plausible reason in my opinion. (And an external audit apparently confirmed this!)

 

So where can i get a list of when and where the meters will be installed >jhb power are taking me from the rear.... for the last 3 months .Its nearly doubled but ive cut my usage dramaticly and even checked for leaks so to speak...I for one cant wait for pay as you go elec ...

 

@stormbringer101 you would need to contact City Power.

 

tried that for a week and only succeeded in making vodacom more money.
thanks for the info thou.