City Power urges customers to pay up
Johannesburg – City Power is increasing its efforts to collect outstanding debt from customers across the city, in a revenue collection drive also targeting illegal connections which the utility says contributes to revenue losses.
According to City Power, they are owed around R4.9 billion by customers who use electricity without paying for it, which includes corporates, government departments, and ordinary citizens.
City Power CEO Lerato Setshedi said the campaign is aimed at assisting customers who owe or use illegal electricity to pay up.
“Revenue collection impacts heavily on the sustainability of our business and is a key focus area, every cent counts. Without this revenue, we cannot invest in the necessary infrastructure to ensure uninterrupted power supply. Illegal electricity connection has also immensely contributed to revenue losses,” Setshedi said.
He added that over 37 000 accounts are in default, among them 480 large power users such as manufacturing and mines, over 10 400 businesses and 104 government departments, including schools, hospitals, and department offices, and over 26 600 outstanding residential accounts.
Customers have been urged to come forward voluntarily and settle their debts, or make arrangements to do so.
“We will be reaching out, engaging citizens, business forums and councillors about this campaign, so that they understand the link between our revenue collection and normalisation of services,” Setshedi said.
