Taken for a ‘shocking’ ride?
DURBAN property owner says he cannot understand why, after buying R800 in prepaid electricity, he got only 542kw – far less than he expected.
The man, who did not want to be named, said he believed that electricity consumers were being taken for a ride.
“I live in a suburb where all homes have prepaid electricity meters. Two months ago,I bought electricity for R600. According to the token (receipt), the electricity amounted to just over 400kw. The R600 payment was done at a garage and convenience store. The R800 was paid at an Easypay outlet.’’
The man said it seemed that the “hidden charges” applied to all outlets which dispensed prepaid electricity.
“It is ridiculous for a consumer like me to get only 542kw of electricity for my R800 and under 400kw for my R600. I buy electricity in the hundreds of rand because I don’t like buying electricity in dribs and drabs,” he said. “Anyway, the poor are the biggest losers because the high charges (are) applied across the board.”
He said neither he nor other residents were given a choice in the matter.
“The eThekwini Municipality informed us in writing that the billing system was over and that we would given prepaid electricity meters. That was the end of story for property owners like me. The system is unfair and has prejudiced me financially. I prefer the billing method but cannot change from the prepaid electricity,” he said.
Consumer Vadi Govender, however, has given prepaid electricity the thumbs-up.
Govender, his wife and son, who lease a property in Phoenix, said the installation of a prepaid electricity meter by his new landlord had resulted in him saving about R300 a month.
‘’I buy the electricity tokens for R175 every week. This means that for a month I spend R700.
“When the billing method was in existence, my previous landlord used to charge us R1 000 a month for electricity. We were in the dark as to why we were asked to pay that amount,” he said.
“The prepaid system in my view is far better than the billing method. Now we know what we are paying for.
“I don’t mind the charges which have been added on by the outlets which dispense the electricity.
“If at the end of the week the R175 electricity has been utilised, my family and I have peace of mind that we are responsible for the electricity used.”
Govender said when he decides to buy his own property he will stick to the prepaid system.
“This is the route I intend taking when I buy my own home. It seems hassle-free to me.”
Another property owner, who lives in a RDP home provided by the eThekwini Municipality, said he was taken aback when he was asked by the municipality to explain why his electricity consumption was very low.
“For me, spending R50 a week on prepaid electricity is too much. I am hardly at home, where I live alone.
“From my discussions with the municipal officials, I got the impression that they felt that I was cheating the system and had tapped into free electricity.”
He said after he requested the municipality to audit his electricity consumption, they found that he lived according to his means.
“I have proved to myself that I can lead a simple life. It is vital to do so because costs are rising,” he said. ACCORDING to the eThekwini Municipality, prepaid electricity was designed to provide affordable power in disadvantaged areas.
In an internet article, the municipality issues a warning to people who intend to cheat the prepaid system, saying the electricity meters are inspected regularly.
“Should eThekwini Municipality find evidence of tampering with the meter, the service will be stopped immediately. The customer will then be charged for the costs to replace and service the new meter, a deposit and an estimated amount that the customer ought to have paid for the electricity obtained unlawfully. The service will be restored only after all the money owing to the municipality has been paid.
“If two or more appliances are used simultaneously, the prepayment token will be used up more quickly. The time your token lasts also depends on how much electrical current the appliances you use take.”
The municipality says that a token worth R100 will last 10 times longer than a token worth R10.
“Consumers have a choice whether they want to buy electricity for R5, R50 or R500. You can buy as many tokens as desired and for the amount that suits your needs.”
To save power, “It is advisable to switch geysers off when hot water is not required.”
Factors influencing costs: “The electricity infrastructure close to one’s home is another factor. If you receive a subsidy to install the meter you will be charged a higher rate per kilowatt hour of electricity used. That means your electricity will be more expensive per unit. Without the subsidy the costs change from time to time. If you pay the full price of the installation then you will be charged a cheaper or normal rate per unit of your electricity supply.”