No further extension given to prepaid users who bypassed meters: Eskom

Eskom prepaid customers who've connected to the grid illegally will not be granted another extension and have until the end of Friday to have their meters regularised and make an admission of guilt.

Electricity and energy minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa last month extended a lifeline to the utility's then 1.7-million previously zero buyers, giving them until December 13 to approach Eskom's offices and have their meter added to the grid.

They would also be liable for a R6,000 tamper fine, payable over a 12-month period.

The key revision number (KRN) rollover project concluded at the end of last month. Prepaid meters were on November 24 updated from KRN1 to KRN2.

“Eskom has successfully transitioned 5.64-million prepaid customers, including 400,000 former zero buyers, to the updated KRN2 system,” the utility said in an update on Thursday.

“The project, combined with a comprehensive data clean-up, has increased Eskom’s customer base from 6.91-million to 7.25-million,” spokesperson Daphne Mokwena said.

“To date, about 100,000 customers have received tamper fines, with 15,000 fines already fully or partly paid.”

The power utility said those customers who made an admission of guilt could make payments online or at a bank and had no need to return to their local Eskom centre.

“Customers are reminded that Eskom centres do not accept cash payments and should not offer cash at any location. Support is available through Eskom’s various communication channels, including Alfred the Chatbot, the Eskom Contact Centre’s IVR system and WhatsApp.”

For those who miss the deadline, Eskom warned it would intensify the auditing of meters and would issue fines that could be as high as R12,000 or institute criminal charges for repeat offenders.

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