Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za

3-minute read
07 July 2024 | 10:18 CAT

(Luba Lesolle/Gallo Images)

From 1 July, City Power customers on prepaid meters have R200 deducted monthly from their electricity purchases for service and network capacity charges.

ActionSA in Johannesburg says City Power should find other ways of raising money instead of charging customers an R200 monthly service fee.

The coalition led by the African National Congress (ANC) passed the new tariffs in the Johannesburg council.

However, ActionSA has now said it will fight the adoption of the service fee.

The ANC, EFF, PA, Al-Jamah-ah, AIC, AHC, APC, ATM, Cope and Good supported the service charge which led to its adoption. ActionSA, IFP, VF, ACDC, UIM and DA were outvoted.

ActionSA’s Johannesburg caucus leader, Nobuhle Mthembu, said the party would move the council to rescind the decision.

“ActionSA maintains our objection to the unjustified service charges, particularly because we acknowledge the plight of residents, especially those languishing in poverty or just about managing to make ends meet, who simply cannot bear the extra burden imposed by the governing chaos coalition.”

Mthembu said there were other ways the power utility could raise the revenue needed for its infrastructure maintenance.

“We strongly believe that while City Power must recover its revenue from defaulting residents, the same approach should be applied to certain provincial departments that have defaulted on their payments in the past, including the Departments of Education, Health, Housing, Infrastructure Development, and Transport. We also continue to call for the disconnection of hijacked buildings from the City Power grid.”

Mthembu said ActionSA would return to the next council sitting to rescind this decision and send City Power back to the drawing board to explore other possible means of collecting its revenue.

“ActionSA urges the residents of the City of Johannesburg to continue voicing their concerns and ensuring their objections are heard by signing our petition before the next Council sitting, said Mthembu.

“We will use a petition to try to get as many signatures as possible from the residents and submit them to the Environment and Infrastructure Services Department MMC. We’re taking this step because we’ve noticed that many of our residents miss the city’s public participation engagements.

You can listen to the full interview on The Daily Round Up with Moulana Junaid Kharsany and ActionSA’s Johannesburg caucus leader, Nobuhle Mthembu, here.