City Power has intensified its fight against non-paying customers including two hospitals in the City of Joburg.
Following an electricity cut-off operation in Parkhurst on yesterday morning, the power utility confirmed that it had issued Helen Joseph and Rahima Moosa, Mother and Child Hospitals with pre-termination notices.
The two healthcare facilities are said to be owing a combined R32 million for electricity.
The past few weeks have been busy for the utility that has embarked on multiple campaigns to disconnect defaulting customers, including business and residential areas.
Spokesperson Isaac Mangena said the city yesterday successfully carried out its drive in Industria, Parkhurst and Hursthill surrounding areas.
Mangena said in total the Hursthill service delivery centre owed a combined R1.3 billion with yesterday’s operation targeted at 10 businesses and domestic users who owe R13 million.
When it comes to Helen Joseph and Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital, these facilities owe R23m in total.
“The pre-termination notice has been handed to Helen Joseph Hospital. This institution owes City Power over R23m. The CEO of Rahima Moosa was also served with a pre-termination notice and they owe over R7m. The revenue protection team will be targeting defaulting business and residential accounts that owe a collective of R13m to City Power.
“These weekly cut-off operations across the City of Joburg are aimed at sending a strong message to defaulters that City Power will not tolerate non-payment. It is also an opportunity for City Power to recover the revenue it needs to continue to provide essential services to the City’s residents and businesses,” Mangena said.
He said the power utility would continue with its weekly operations to ensure that non-paying customers start paying for services. He added the communities of Parkhurst, Hurtshill and surrounding areas owed the power utility R13m.
“We are continuing with our weekly operations especially to businesses and households that owe us a lot of money. The revenue team is targeting defaulting businesses and these are collectively owing about R13m.”
During this operation, Eskom City Power Revenue Collection team also disconnected a Telkom property which owes close to R2.9m with the utility saying the business at 71 8th Street in Linden owes 2.8m to City Power.
Officials also visited 3rd Street Melville where an illegal connection was said to be taking place and a block of businesses there were disconnected.
Last week, City Power met Naturena residents following a recent cut-off operation in the area. The meeting was to find ways of encouraging the community to allow for the installation of prepaid meters.
This comes after a recent cut-off operation resulted in a stand-off between City Power and the community. It was reported that the Naturena community owes the City of Joburg a collective R309m in unpaid electricity bills, while over R10bn was owed by non-paying residents and businesses around the whole municipality.
Attempts to get comment from the department of health following the pre-termination notices to the two healthcare facilities were unsuccessful at the time of going to print.