Residents refusing access for work on pre-paid meters

GEORGE NEWS - Some consumers are refusing municipal officials and George Municipality's sub-contractors, who have to make adjustments to their pre-paid electricity meters, access to their homes.

These residents run the risk of having their electricity supply cut, says the municipality in a statement issued on Friday 11 November.

The reasons provided for refusing access are either either safety concerns or residents not being aware that the process is underway.

"George Municipality hereby confirms that it is in process of implementing the new electrical tariff structure as approved by Council. For this, the municipality requires access in order to implement the required adjustments to the installed capacity on pre-paid meters, as required by the new tariff structure," said communications chief Chantel Edwards.

"The adjustments take the form of a setting being changed on the prepayment meter itself, to either adjust the installed capacity to the default capacity as selected by the municipality or to adjust to the capacity as selected by the consumer."

The officials and sub-contractors of Ontec (the main contractor) are in possession of a letter that gives them the mandate to take the required action.

"The mandate of the municipality to set the capacity of your pre-paid meter is vested in legislation, policy and approvals," said Edwards.

"The implementation plan was also discussed with Nersa in detail, and they endorsed such plan which involved allowing consumers to select their capacity or the selection of an appropriate capacity by the municipality in case of consumers failing to do so. Consumers have been informed of the new electrical tariffs and the decisions that they need to take, as well as the implications of capacity limits.

"Refusing access to municipal mandated officials to set the selected capacity will have consequences," Edwards said.

All municipal and/or Ontec officials carry identification cards with a photograph and their ID number, as well as a copy of the letter.

To verify that the officials at your home form part of this project, phone 044 873 5474 during work hours.

The following options are available to the customers:

• Change their decision and allow access for the capacity to be set on their pre-paid meter.

• Select the capacity needed in the approved form and allow access to the personnel to set the capacity.

• Sign a form indicating they want a change in capacity and thus will pay the associated basic charge and capacity charge.

• Refuse to allow access or sign a selection form, in which case the supply will be disconnected.

Please direct any queries to 044 801 9243 or email your query to elec.applications@george.gov.za.

George Council approved the electricity tariffs as proposed in the budget in June 2022 and which were a part of the public participation process.

The National Electricity Pricing Policy of South Africa (EPP) stipulates the application of capacity limits on supplies as shown here.

The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) approved the electricity tariffs for George Municipality, including that the capacity limits be applied.