Trouble for 2 million prepaid electricity users in South Africa

 ·16 Jan 2025

Nearly two million users are suspected of consuming power illegally, either through tampered or bypassed connections, but Eskom warns they are not going unnoticed.

In a recent parliamentary Q&A session, Minister of Electricity Kgosientsho Ramokgopa recently highlighted this ongoing challenge, describing it as critical to Eskom’s operational sustainability.

These non-paying users, dubbed “zero buyers,” are a significant financial burden on the power utility.

To address this issue, Eskom launched a grace period for users to come forward and regularise their accounts without fear of penalties.

This amnesty period, which ended on 14 December 2024, encouraged approximately 400,000 individuals to disclose and resolve their illegal connections.

However, with millions still unaccounted for, Eskom’s efforts are far from complete.

Since the conclusion of the grace period, Eskom has intensified its audits of electricity meters and installations.

The utility has warned that those found with tampered meters face fines of up to R12,000 and potentially criminal charges for repeat offences.

According to spokesperson Daphne Mokwena, fines typically hover around R6,000.

Eskom has already issued fines to approximately 100,000 customers as part of its meter audit process, collecting between R90 million and R180 million out of an estimated R600 million to R1.2 billion issued.

Eskom emphasised that compliance is vital for its financial health and South Africa’s broader economic stability.

“This support is crucial for Eskom’s operational and financial sustainability and to contribute to South Africa’s economic growth,” the utility said.

The problem extends beyond Eskom. City Power, the electricity provider for Johannesburg, recently disconnected over 120 homes in Kliptown Square after discovering tampered prepaid meters.

Acting on a tip-off, City Power inspected and removed the affected meters, issuing fines exceeding R14,000 to offenders.

This action follows a broader “normalisation programme” aimed at converting meters to comply with the Token Identifier (TID) rollover, a process requiring software updates to ensure prepaid meters continue functioning.

City Power’s spokesperson, Isaac Mangena, reaffirmed the utility’s commitment to holding non-compliant users accountable.

“We have decided to take a strong stance against those who have bypassed our meters, especially the ones recently installed as part of the normalisation programme.

“We warned that anyone bypassing these meters would face penalties,” Mangena stated.

Both Eskom and City Power’s actions underline a growing intolerance for electricity theft, with hefty penalties and intensified audits aimed at deterring illegal consumption.

As utilities escalate their efforts, the message is clear: those abusing the system will be found out and held accountable.


Read: Eskom reveals load shedding outlook for 2025

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