Alternative current for Soweto's non-payers as Eskom debt rises

Giving power to the people has new meaning in Soweto, where not even the risk of prosecution has deterred the wide-scale, organised training of young people to illegally connect residents to the Eskom grid.

Now the skill is being passed on, says Soweto Crisis Committee chair Trevor Ngwane, extending to new connections in informal settlements.

Soweto residents are facing off with Eskom over payments, with their debt ballooning to R16.8bn since the power utility wrote off R1.3bn in debt in 2003.

Ngwane said the training of young people by “progressive Eskom workers” had started more than a decade ago.

A pensioner from White City, who did not want to be named, said she couldn’t remember when last she paid for electricity. She was disconnected in 2010 but “young people were able to reconnect me. I have not paid a cent since or received any statement from Eskom,” she said.

One Orlando West pensioner said she was on prepaid electricity but had bypassed the meter box and was  using the power for free.

“I couldn’t afford electricity after Eskom installed the prepaid meters here about eight years ago because R200 would not even last me a month. A neighbour’s son told me he could bypass the meter for me and I thanked him with just R100,” she said.

Eskom spokesperson Sikonathi Mantshantsha said they were aware of the practice. “Eskom conducts audits, removes illegal connections and issues a fine of R6,052. We will reconnect them when the fine is paid.”

A resident said she was scared to tell other residents she was paying her Eskom bill because she would be seen as a sellout.

 “I pay R150 a month to Eskom because that’s what I can afford and they have not cut me off, although my account is in arrears.”

Mantshantsha said Eskom had scrapped Soweto debt twice already, with an agreement that customers would start paying.

“This unfortunately has not yielded the desired results. We have, however, agreed to park the debt for those customers on prepaid meters on condition that they purchase electricity from Eskom vendors and not bypass the meters for a period of 36 months.”

Political analyst Ralph Mathekga said the Soweto culture of non-payment was unacceptable. “There are people in rural areas paying for electricity and receiving very little services from their municipality ... and when you look at the services in Soweto and other townships, one doesn’t see why Sowetans can’t pay for the services. Soweto is receiving far better services than most townships.”

Professor Pundy Pillay of the Wits School of Governance agreed.

“I have sympathy for the poor people in small towns and rural areas but there are many pockets of poverty far worse than what Soweto residents are experiencing.

City of Johannesburg spokesperson Nthapisi Modingoane failed to respond to extensive  questions.