City Power disconnects electricity from state-owned flats that owe R11m

When a group of City Power officials arrived at a block of flats in Fordsburg accompanied by metro police and security guards, anxious residents rushed out still in their nightwear shouting, “What do they want?” 

The power utility is on a quest to recoup more than R43m it claims to be owed by some businesses and residents and they descended on Octavia Hills flats to disconnect their electricity.

According to City Power, they are owed R11m by Octavia Hills and that the last payment from them was in 2022. The flats are government-owned.

One of the residents, Emily Manja, said officials from the department of human settlements arrived with a contractor last week and said they would be installing meters for them.

“We have been waiting; now they just come and cut electricity without even saying a word to us,” she said.

The residents confirmed that they don't pay for water and electricity and only pay R400 “for services” to the human settlements.

Another resident who refused to be named said that they would now be victims of crime because of the dark.

“They rob us with lights on, now that there is no electricity it is going to be worse because they will now get into our houses and rob us,” said the resident.

City Power hopes to disconnect nine properties that owe the city more than R43m.

SowetanLIVE