Johannesburg — Johannesburg City Power left a handful of businesses in the dark as they cut the lights off over a staggering R35 million unpaid electricity bill.
Accompanied by Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) officials, City Power visited five businesses. who collectively owed R35 million in electricity payments, it said in a statement.
Two city customers in the Ormonde area, namely the Ormonde View Estates and the Ormonde Shopping Complex, were cut off for outstanding payments of R7,8 million and R2.7 million. The Complex made an instant payment of R1.1 million shortly after the power was cut to return to service.
#CityPowerUpdates #RevenueCollection#ReuvenCutoff
Please kindly find the latest update below 👇. ^ZD pic.twitter.com/V6uMdF67WL
— @CityPowerJhb (@CityPowerJhb) March 7, 2024
According to City spokesperson, Isaac Mangena, he welcomed the quick payments but said it showed businesses do have the means to pay, they just lack the right attitude.
“The fact that the business manage to make that instant payment, shows that they have the means to do so and they are just reluctant. This has resulted on the customer debt levels reaching unsustainable levels.” he said.
In additon, he said the Reuven Service Delivery Centres is owed R2.7 billion, while City Power is sitting with over R10 billion in unpaid bills. The city also cut power off at four other businesses this week.
According to IOL, Mangena said the drive also targeted rental estates because they make profit but the fail to send a portion to the utility.
“We don’t have an account or contract with the tenants but owners of the complex are the ones who owe us. One complex owes us R7.8 million… Tenants are the ones who are going to be affected because they do pay monthly services to the body corporate,” he said.
Since the year started, every Friday, the utility has targeted defaulting clients and force them to settle their debts, or threatened them with power cuts.
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
