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An Eskom worker checks power lines. Picture: MARIANNE SCHWANKHART
I am not surprised that we have electricity problems in Johannesburg. It is bad enough that Eskom has been driven into the ground through incompetence and corruption, but City Power is just as bad, if not worse.
My prepaid meter was struck by lightning on April 16 last year. A technician arrived and temporarily bypassed my meter as he did not have a new one with him. I was therefore using electricity without paying for it.
After many telephone calls the matter was “escalated” on April 29, and I was in contact with City Power 13 times between then and January 19 this year; I have nine different reference numbers to prove it. Yet the case was closed a number of times without resolution, and everyone pointed fingers at each other.
I approached the city ombudsman in writing on January 19 and still heard nothing. I have now raised the white flag. I am still drawing power without paying, and my guess is that I owe the city tens of thousands of rand.
It is heartbreaking that so many poor people suffer because the Johannesburg Metro, and City Power in particular, are so criminally useless.
Brian Gutkin, Glenhazel
JOIN THE DISCUSSION: Send us an email with your comments to letters@businesslive.co.za. Letters of more than 300 words will be edited for length. Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Writers should include a daytime telephone number.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
LETTER: City Power as bad as Eskom
Calls over faulty prepaid meter go unheard
I am not surprised that we have electricity problems in Johannesburg. It is bad enough that Eskom has been driven into the ground through incompetence and corruption, but City Power is just as bad, if not worse.
My prepaid meter was struck by lightning on April 16 last year. A technician arrived and temporarily bypassed my meter as he did not have a new one with him. I was therefore using electricity without paying for it.
After many telephone calls the matter was “escalated” on April 29, and I was in contact with City Power 13 times between then and January 19 this year; I have nine different reference numbers to prove it. Yet the case was closed a number of times without resolution, and everyone pointed fingers at each other.
I approached the city ombudsman in writing on January 19 and still heard nothing. I have now raised the white flag. I am still drawing power without paying, and my guess is that I owe the city tens of thousands of rand.
It is heartbreaking that so many poor people suffer because the Johannesburg Metro, and City Power in particular, are so criminally useless.
Brian Gutkin, Glenhazel
JOIN THE DISCUSSION: Send us an email with your comments to letters@businesslive.co.za. Letters of more than 300 words will be edited for length. Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Writers should include a daytime telephone number.
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Published by Arena Holdings and distributed with the Financial Mail on the last Thursday of every month except December and January.