Pretoria – City Power has continued with its aggressive revenue collection drive by cutting off electricity in an effort to recoup some of the billions owed by residents and businesses in Johannesburg.
Since the year began, City Power has made concerted efforts to go around regions in the city, cutting off electricity to get defaulting clients to pay and also remove illegal connections where people had bypassed meters.
The power utility said that several businesses across Johannesburg have unpaid municipal bills, so far amounting to R8.9 billion.
Before disconnections, businesses were given pre-disconnection notices that were ignored.
On Tuesday, the Apartheid Museum felt the City’s wrath after it was disconnected for owing R1.8m.
Speaking to the Sowetan, City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena said the list of defaulters included two business centres, together owing a total of R4.3m, and two mine equipment manufacturing companies owing a total of R1.3m.
“City Power has resolved to take a tough line on non-payment of accounts and to restrict services to businesses that continue to refuse to pay for services they consume.
“The objective of this operation is to improve the profitability, performance and position of City Power so it’s able to continue to repair and maintain its infrastructure and to provide essential services to the residents of Johannesburg,” Mangena was quoted as saying.
Joburg mayor Thapelo Amad has also joined electricity cut-off operations against non-paying residents.
“We need to make sure that our finances are in good standing and we need to go after those who owe us,” he said at the time.
IOL