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2 weeks ago
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Electricity supply to three properties, including a business park in Crown and a restaurant in Melville, was cut off.
- Electricity supply to three properties, including a business park in Crown and a restaurant in Melville, was cut off due to millions of rands in arrears.
- During an operation on Friday, an illegal connection at a car service business was disconnected.
- City Power vows to intensify its efforts to recover the staggering R1.6 billion owed to its Hursthill Service Delivery Centre.
City Power has disconnected the electricity supply to three Johannesburg businesses, which collectively owe millions of rands.
During the operation on Friday, officials discovered that a car service business was illegally connected and proceeded to disconnect it, according to the utility.
Two metered accounts belonging to a business park in Crown were found to be in arrears of R2.8 million and R600 000.
City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena said the property owner acknowledged the latter debt but disputed the former.
“A Level 2 disconnection was effected, with the owner committing to visit the Hursthill Service Delivery Centre (SDC) to resolve this matter,” Mangena added.
“City Power will also be conducting a further investigation to establish why this particular property has two different accounts.”
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In Melville, a restaurant was disconnected for owing more than R900 000.
While on site, the team also discovered that a neighbouring car service business was illegally connected to the electricity grid.
Mangena confirmed that records indicated the owner had last bought electricity in 2022.
He said:
The team proceeded to disconnect the premises. The team also revisited a Crown property with an outstanding R17-million debt.
“The property had been disconnected during our previous operation, and today our team confirmed that it remains without supply.”
During inspections, an illegal connection at a car service business was disconnected as well as two arrears accounts tied to the same property.
City Power vows to step up its drive to recover a staggering R1.6 billion in outstanding revenue owed to its Hursthill Service Delivery Centre.
Sandra Moore, City Power Hursthill SDC Account Executive, welcomed the cooperation from some business owners.
“We are encouraged by the willingness of customers to approach us for payment arrangements. However, these operations have also revealed just how widespread non-payment is,” she said.
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“In the past two weeks alone, we disconnected three properties that were not even on our original list. This should serve as a warning to other defaulters that it’s only a matter of time before we come knocking.”
City Power reiterated its commitment to intensifying its revenue collection efforts to recover the R1.6 billion owed to the Hursthill SDC.
