Huge Prepaid Meter Problem in Johannesburg Puts City Power Under Pressure

A Sudden Halt in the Rollout

Johannesburg residents hoping to switch from postpaid to prepaid electricity meters will have to wait. City Power has suspended all new conversions until at least 1 November 2025, citing serious problems with the rollout.

The decision follows reports of prepaid meters becoming “non-vending,” meaning customers simply couldn’t buy electricity once their meters had been converted. This is more than just a glitch; it has raised alarms about widespread tampering, illegal connections, and potential revenue losses for the city’s power utility.

Why the Pause Matters

City Power says the suspension is temporary, but for many Joburg residents, it’s the latest frustration in a city already battling frequent outages, crumbling infrastructure, and rising service costs. The utility insists that existing customerswhether on postpaid or prepaidwill not be affected, and electricity supply will continue as usual.

Behind the scenes, a dedicated task team has been assembled to investigate the scale of the problem. Their findings are expected in two months.

Illegal Connections Fuel the Crisis

The prepaid meter issue doesn’t exist in isolation. Illegal connections and meter tampering have become an entrenched problem across Johannesburg. Overloaded transformers and mini-substations are being damaged repeatedly, costing the city millions and leaving entire neighbourhoods in the dark for weeks while new equipment is sourced.

In August, City Power took the unusual step of refusing to restore power to some areas until at least 80% of households could prove they were legitimately buying electricity. This door-to-door audit system, while controversial, highlighted just how widespread unlawful connections have become.

Residents are now being asked to keep receipts of regular electricity purchases, with City Power warning that one-off or minimal payments won’t count. Consistency is keyproof of a single R50 purchase weeks ago is not enough.

Public Frustration Over Fixed Fees

Adding fuel to the fire, many Joburgers are already angry over prepaid service fees that kicked in from July 2024. These fixed charges, introduced to cover service and network costs, sparked protests and debates over whether prepaid customers were unfairly penalised compared to postpaid users.

With conversions now frozen, residents see the pause as both a relief and a setback: relief that problems are being investigated, but frustration that legitimate households are caught in the crossfire of tampering and theft.

What Comes Next?

City Power says the pause will strengthen its systems, tighten revenue controls, and ensure future conversions are accurate. But with illegal connections draining resources and infrastructure collapsing under the strain, residents are left asking: how long before the lights go out again?

On social media, the reactions have been blunt. Some Joburgers say they feel punished for their neighbours’ illegal connections, while others argue the city should focus on improving transparency and accountability instead of penalising whole communities.

For now, households with functioning meters can continue as normal. But the fight against tampering, theft, and broken trust between City Power and residents is far from over.

Source:Business Tech 

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