City Power Takes Over Electricity Billing in Johannesburg: What It Means for You

From July 1, 2025, City Power has officially taken over electricity billing from the City of Johannesburg, promising quicker responses, fewer billing errors, and better service for Joburg residents.

This major shift is not just administrative, it’s a move to fix long-standing frustrations with incorrect bills and slow resolutions. And while City Power is confident in the new system, it says success depends heavily on customer cooperation, especially from those using manual meters.

A New Era for Joburg’s Electricity Billing

City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena said this change marks a turning point in how electricity billing is handled in the city.

“We’re not just tweaking the process. We’ve brought billing in-house to fix years of systemic issues,” said Mangena. “This is about accurate, fair billing and giving our customers the service they deserve.”

City-Wide Meter Audit Underway

To clean up the system, City Power has launched a comprehensive audit of electricity meters across Joburg. The audit is happening stand-by-stand at several service delivery centres, including:

• Reuven

• Roodepoort

• Hursthill

• Randburg

• Midrand

• Alexandra

The audit aims to ensure every meter is properly registered and linked to the correct account.

“We’re identifying previously unregistered customers, fixing inherited errors, and making sure nobody is left behind,” Mangena explained.

What Changes for Customers?

Although the City of Johannesburg will still issue bills, the back-end processes—meter data, readings, and issue resolution are now handled directly by City Power. Residents can expect:

• Fewer estimated readings

• Quicker query resolutions

• Greater transparency in how charges are calculated

City Power has also set up a special billing unit to handle customer queries faster. For assistance, residents can:

Email: [email protected]
Call: 011 490 7484

Manual Meter Users: Your Role Is Critical

If you use a manual electricity meter, you’ll need to submit your own meter readings to avoid estimated billing. Here’s how:

• Take a clear photo showing:

  • The meter number

  • The reading

  • The date

• Email it to: [email protected]

• Only submit readings during the scheduled window (check the e-Joburg portal or City Power notices)

Note: Readings outside the official window won’t be used for billing. All readings are audited quarterly for accuracy.

Smart meters, on the other hand, continue to send data automatically.

Boosting Capacity to Support You

To handle the increased workload, City Power has added 56 finance staff, joining their existing revenue specialists. CEO Tshifularo Mashava said the goal is to be more customer-centric.

“This is our chance to rebuild trust. We want to be more responsive, more transparent, and more accountable than ever before,” Mashava said.

What You Should Do Next

Submit readings on time
Report faulty or unregistered meters
Follow City Power’s communication channels for updates
Use the e-Joburg portal for easier access to your account

City Power’s takeover of electricity billing in Johannesburg is a bold step toward better service delivery. But its success hinges on active participation from residents.

By working together, the utility hopes to turn the page on years of billing chaos and build a system that’s fair, fast, and fully functional.

{Source: The Citizen}

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