News24 | WATCH | City Power disconnects defaulting customers from grid in Joburg south

City Power is continuing its mission to recoup what it's owed by property owners in the south of Johannesburg.

The power utility conducted a revenue collection drive in areas it identified as having a high non-payment rate or debt.

Lloyd Ntlemo, City Power's revenue management specialist, said the goal was to bring defaulting customers to book.

"These customers have been defaulting for a long [time]. We are just cutting all the loopholes that they are trying to [use] to escape from [paying]," he said.

On Thursday, the first stop was Nasrec Corner Shopping Centre, where City Power says management owes R3.7 million.

Officials were armed with pliers and went to work. Next was a residential complex that reportedly owes R3.1 million.

READ MORE | City Power takes revenue collection drive to Lenasia, disconnects defaulting customers from grid

In September, City Power took its revenue collection drive to Lenasia, aiming at recouping the R800 million owed by customers in the area.

The entity successfully disconnected various defaulting customers with the help of the Johannesburg Metro Police Department, the South African Police Service, and private security.

"The reason some of these customers have not been paying is because they've figured out how to go around the loopholes within the system," Ntlemo added.