Eskom Extends Deadline To Recode Prepaid Electricity Meters, SA Not Amazed

• Power utility Eskom has extended a lifeline to those who have not yet recoded their prepaid electricity meters
• It revealed that over one million prepaid customers have not yet upgraded their meters, and all of them are zero buyers
• South Africans noted that the extension could leave the door open for illegal connections to continue

With nine years of experience, Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News current affairs journalist, provided insights into infrastructure challenges in South Africa at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News.

JOHANNESBURG — Eskom has extended the deadline for its customers to recode their prepaid electricity meters. The deadline to buy electricity from legal vendors remained unchanged.

Eskom extends deadline

According to eNCA, Eskom's spokesperson, Daphne Mokoena, said that customers must still purchase electricity from legal vendors by the end of 24 November 2024. She emphasised that the meter box will still expire on 25 November, and those yet to upgrade their meters still need the two key tokens to recode them.

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She said more than one million zero-buying customers have not yet upgraded their boxes. She defended Eskom against claims that it did not communicate effectively. She said most buying customers upgraded their meters in May and June.

South Africans not surprised

Netizens on Facebook noted that the deadline extension may not work in Eskom's favour.

Mohapi Mokoena said:

"They said it's technical and time-bound and it cannot be extended. They have already opened the floodgates of meter bridging."

Ntshang Ledwaba said:

"Did they think people will unbridge? No ways."

Miranda Baloyi said:

"We will soon have an extension of the extension."

Scotch Madima said:

"I am sitting nicely, waiting for the extension to be extended."

Tony Mthembu said:

"They will keep on extending until they stop what they are doing because it's useless."

City Power customers recoded meters

In a related article, Briefly News reported that City Power's customers have almost all recoded their meters.

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Eskom hails recoding prepaid meter project a success, South Africans share views

The spokesperson, Isaac Mangena, said that 99% of customers have recoded their meter boxes, and just over 1,000 are reluctant to do so and holding out.

Source: Briefly News