One month to pre-paid meter D-day

With only a month to go, the Western Cape Government is urging residents to ensure that their pre-paid electricity meters are updated before the national 24 November 2024 deadline.

“The Western Cape is close to full compliance, with 98.4% of meters already reset within municipal supply areas. This is well ahead of the national average of 85.6%. The municipalities of Bergrivier, Cape Agulhas, Cederberg, Drakenstein, Overstrand, Swartland and the City of Cape Town have already reported a 100% completed reset,” said Minister Deidré Baartman.

“I want to commend Western Cape municipalities on the progress they have made. However, we are just 30 days away and we need to make a final push to ensure that every last remaining meter is reset,” Minister Baartman continued. She added, “We do not want a situation where any household is left behind and, in the dark, come 24 November.”

Once the software expires, residents will not be able to recharge with new tokens and will lose their power supply if their meters are not updated. The update requires a manual reset code which must be entered into the pre-paid meter in the same way as normal recharge codes. If this is not done, residents will not be able to load electricity.

Minister Baartman emphasised, “We want to avoid a scenario where residents cannot recharge after 24 November and are stuck without electricity and are unable to recharge their meters. We, therefore, ask residents to contact their local municipal office if they are uncertain about the status of their meter update.”

Eskom customers who require assistance or are unsure whether their meters have been reset can contact Eskom’s General Customer Care Number (08600 37 566) or visit the Chatbot (https://alfred.eskom.co.za/chatroom/). 

The Provincial Treasury has been in continued communication with municipalities and other stakeholders to ensure a smooth transition. The Provincial Treasury will engage with municipalities that are lagging behind.

The Minister expressed her gratitude to municipal officials and technicians who have worked round the clock to ensure the province’s readiness. “I want to acknowledge the efforts of the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) which has worked closely with the Provincial Treasury and municipalities in getting the Western Cape close to the finish line. Through the combined efforts of all stakeholders and residents, we are hopeful that our province will reach full compliance before the deadline.”