'We know we have to pay': Residents wanted City Power to negotiate before cutting them off

Dingani Ndlovu, 49, a resident of Octavia Hill Flats in Fordsburg knew he should be paying municipal services but believes City Power should have negotiated with residents before cutting off their electricity.

Residents living in a complex belonging to the Gauteng department of human settlements have not been paying for electricity for the past few years. 

The complex is one of the buildings City Power has disconnected from the grid during its ongoing revenue collection drive in Johannesburg.

On Thursday, the power utility targeted various residential buildings and businesses in the inner city.

Several businesses and residential apartment blocks were left in the dark with the Reef Hotel, which owes the city more than R4.1m, left to rely on its generator. 

Ndlovu said residents knew they were not paying for services, but there were negotiations between the residential committee and officials from the human settlements department. 

“They told us about two weeks back that we would start paying for electricity and water and we agreed that there was no problem. We just wanted to know when do we start and where do we pay,” he said. 

The father of three said he had been staying in the complex for more than 30 years with his parents who had since died. 

“I inherited their flat and I stay with my wife and children,” he said, adding he couldn't go to work as his leg was injured. 

Ndlovu said it was surprising that City Power was disconnecting them while they were negotiating with officials who promised to install electricity and water meters. 

“We all agreed to pay but what they are doing is wrong. How do you just come here and cut everything — what if we agreed to pay? There is nothing for mahala [for free] we are ready to pay,” he said.

“We are treated like we are not human beings, like we don't have brains — you don't just come and cut, we are human beings. Why don't you come to talk to us and then if we refuse, you take further steps.”

Martha Mbanjwa, who claimed to be from the residential committee in the area, said the flats belong to the Gauteng department of human settlements and have been in communication with officials. 

“They have already told us they would install prepaid meters,” she said.

She said safety in the area would be compromised as they were already confronted with the challenge of homeless people loitering in the area and cutting water pipes and electricity wires. 

In the past, the community had collected funds to buy a security gate to protect the substation from vandalism by homeless people, Mbanjwa said. 

“Nyaopes [drug addicts] are vandalising the substation. The electricity is very weak because these guys get inside the substation and fiddle with the wires. That's why we ended up putting up the security gate and locked it.

“The area is very dark at night and we are afraid of homeless people and crime and now it is going to be worse. The housing department promised to install electricity meters in each house. Is this the process that they were telling us about?” she asked referring to the disconnections.

Emely Manja complained she had been staying in a one-bedroom flat for more than 29 years and doesn't even have a title deed. She said the ownership of the flats was allegedly being transferred to residents but “you just see new people moving in”. 

She said it was the first time City Power had disconnected them but they had been promised prepaid meters. “We also want those prepaid meters to pay for electricity. There is nothing we can do. How are we going to survive in the darkness? Already the nyaope boys are troubling us.”

City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena said the utility will continue to intensify its revenue collection efforts until every cent is paid by defaulting customers.

He said they were targeting more than nine customers in the inner city, including businesses, residential properties and complexes, which collectively owe a staggering R43.7m in unpaid bills. 

Mangena said the complex which looked like an old hostel owed them R13m and they haven't paid since 2022.

“The building belongs to the Gauteng department of human settlements, they are the ones that are handling the bill at that building. We have been visiting that building many times and the last payment was in 2022. Before then we have been receiving the payments in bits and pieces,” he said. 

Mangena believed they were winning the battle since starting with the revenue collection drive. Last year they were owed more than R10bn and are now owed R9bn because of the efforts they made to collect revenue.    

“We have seen an increase in our revenue collection in the past financial year and the customers are willing to settle their bills. Especially in those non-affluent areas where traditionally they were not paying for their electricity and they have started.

“In places like Alexandra, it was only 4% of residents that were paying last year but now we are sitting at about 11% and 12% because of the efforts that we have made in terms of payment,” he said.   

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