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An Eskom prepaid electricity meter box and card.
Disgruntled residents of Orlando in Soweto have accused Eskom officials of not properly communicating with them on the looming deadline for the upgrade of prepaid electricity meter boxes.
The deadline is Sunday and residents with meter boxes that have not been upgraded could find themselves in the dark.
Elderly residents say they have been in the queue since the early hours of this morning but say that they have not received any assistance.
Some of them say they have chronic illnesses like diabetes and cannot go for long hours without food.
“I’ve been here since around 02:00 in the morning thinking that I’ll be able to get help and pay for the electricity that I use. However, nothing is happening here, and people have given up, they’ve left. I’m also thinking of leaving because I’ve been waiting here since two in the morning and I can’t wait for too long, I have sugar diabetes.”
Northern Cape
Meanwhile, in the Northern Cape, about 11 000 meters are yet to be upgraded across the province.
Eskom and consumers have reset over 164 000 of a total of 175 401 prepaid electricity meters in the province.
The provincial Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs Department has encouraged residents and municipalities to ensure that the deadline is met.
Spokesperson Tebogo Monyo says, “The Northern Cape has a total of 175 401 prepaid electricity meters and by 20 November 2024, a total of 164 592 meters were reset, representing 94% of reset meters across all municipalities. The MEC applauds all municipalities that have reset 100% of their prepaid meters and as the deadline looms, encourages all other municipalities, especially those with over 1000 meters that must still be reset to step up efforts.”
Design by Sibusiso
