City Power officials arrive at the Church of Scientology in Randburg.
- City Power has brought your electric bill to Randburg.
- The bulk electricity provider is looking to recover R4 billion in unpaid bills.
- City Power cut power to businesses and residential properties, including a shopping center, sports club and the Church of Scientology.
Joburg City Power was on its way again on Friday to inspect and cut off power to delinquent companies.
According to City Power spokesman Isaac Mangena, the bulk electricity provider is owed R4 billion in unpaid bills, and its mission is to ensure businesses and residents pay what they owe.
On Friday, Mangena said that since October last year the entity has managed to raise 3.8 billion rand thanks to its lightning operation.
“City Power will issue sanctions to some businesses and residential complexes that have been caught with illegal electrical connections and delinquent accounts,” Mangena said in a statement Friday.
“As part of our aggressive revenue-raising campaign, City Power visited several businesses and residential areas during an operation in Randburg.”
He said a shopping center in Northriding was found with illegal connections on both of its electricity meters. He said the center received a warning in December.
READ | Joburg on warpath against electricity defaulters after slashing Gauteng treasury over R34m bill
“The mall was fined an estimated R100,000 in addition to having its electricity disconnected. [on Friday]. We are also looking to roll back its debt for three years.”
Other entities that were disconnected include the Church of Scientology on Hunters Road, which is reportedly R877,000 in arrears, and the sports club in Bryanston, which the utility said was R2.3 million. A residential property on Cork Avenue was also taken offline due to an overdue bill of R2 million.
A City Power official outside the Bryanston Sports Club when power was cut off for non-payment of bills.
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“The team also took offline several residential units in Windsor, such as Villa Franco, which owes R6.6 million, and Leisure Place, which owes R1.3 million. Residential units in Windsor owe a total of R12.4 million,” it said.
“We encourage customers who are in arrears to contact our Service Delivery Center in all regions so that arrangements can be made as we view these transactions as a last resort.”
Last month, City Power tackled the city’s Region E, which includes suburbs such as Illovo, Morningside, Sandown, Fourways, Oaklands, Kew and Highlands North. One of the notable power outages was to the Nigerian consulate, which owed R406,000 on its electricity bill.
