City Power targets luxury golf estate, disconnects 7 homes for owing R2m in unpaid bills

• City Power ran revenue raising campaigns at Dainfern Golf Estate and Aspen Hills Nature Estate
• The power utility said customers would have owed R130 million in unpaid municipal services.
• South Africans are happy that City Power is targeting wealthier areas as well as poorer areas.

JOHANNESBURG – No one is safe from City Power and its revenue collection.

Johannesburg’s electricity company has stepped up its efforts to collect unpaid revenue from its customers, and it is sparing no one.

Following recent operations in Lenasia and Alexandra, the electricity company carried out its collection in two luxurious estates.

City Power breaks into golf estate

City Power’s latest revenue raising campaign focused on Dainfern Golf Estate and Aspen Hills Nature Estate in Fourways.

Customers in the area allegedly owed R130 million in unpaid municipal services, including electricity and water.

Mayoral Committee (MMC) member for finance Margaret Arnolds expressed frustration that people in high-income areas were not paying their bills equally.

“You can’t let someone stay at such a luxurious estate and then owe more than R700 000,” she said.

Seven homes on the golf estate have been disconnected after they were found to owe almost R2 million in unpaid bills.

Residents guilty of meter tampering

The MMC also revealed that some households in affluent neighborhoods were also guilty of meter tampering.

“We still think that only people who live in the townships provide electricity,” she said.

Mixed reactions among South Africans

While some social media users celebrated that wealthy areas were also targeted, others expressed frustration with the way City Power conducted its business. business.

Désiré van der Merwe said:

“Congratulations. They want to live like rich people and don’t pay for it.

Schalk de Waal added:

“Living in a place like that, and you can’t even adhere to basic citizenship. Shocking.”

Adams Landy said:

“Rimming the system and expecting others to carry the burden is not a good idea. »

Lianne Silver said:

“I don’t know how they come up with that. If I’m a day late, they deliver the letter.

Colleen de Villiers said:

“Go get them. No one should be allowed to escape crime.”

Etienne Schut said:

“Well done. But this was only implemented in rich areas for political reasons.”

@ramabifiT added:

“Nail them.” No one should benefit from free services. These are unauthorized loans that they take out from the city. Totally selfish.

@KeMariri said:

“The rich don’t pay.”

City Power attacks Lenasia businesses

In a related article, City Power cut off power to 10 businesses in Lenasia over unpaid electricity bills amounting to more than R60 million.

In brief News said gas stations, a shopping center and even a morgue are among the businesses affected by the cuts.

South Africans have criticized power cuts and questioned why so many businesses are failing to pay their bills on time.

Source: In Brief News