Latest news with #FBE
The South African
11 hours ago
- Business
- The South African
City Power offers free electricity to these Johannesburg residents
City Power has urged low-income Johannesburg residents to sign up for its Free Basic Electricity (FBE) programme, which provides 50 kilowatts of electricity per month at no cost. The initiative forms part of efforts to reduce infrastructure damage and recover lost revenue caused by illegal electricity use. Spokesperson Isaac Mangena revealed that the free electricity programme aims to reconnect over 140 000 households who are not paying for electricity. 'Many of these customers are consuming electricity without paying, resulting in massive revenue losses for the utility and the increasing destruction of our infrastructure,' he said. Additionally, by targeting vulnerable groups and formalising their electricity use, the city hopes to clean up its billing system and improve compliance. City Power has also committed to replacing damaged or tampered meters without penalising qualifying residents. The free electricity programme is open to unemployed residents or those earning R7500 or less monthly. Applicants must also be South African citizens or permanent residents, legally occupy the property, and provide the necessary supporting documentation. 'The criteria also include being a South African citizen or permanent resident and being the legal occupants of the property in question,' Mangena explained. 'Supporting documentation such as a valid ID, proof of residence, COJ rates and taxes account, and income verification, such as a SASSA card or affidavit, will be required at registration.' The free electricity initiative is designed to support senior citizens, women and children, persons with disabilities, the unemployed, and child-headed households. City Power said that the programme reinforces the principle of electricity as a fundamental human right. 'The FBE programme is designed to cushion the most vulnerable and ensure access to electricity as a basic human right, while also helping to clean up the billing and compliance environment,' Mangena stated. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The South African
3 days ago
- Business
- The South African
Do you qualify for City Power's free electricity supply?
City Power Johannesburg has commenced with its Free Basic Electricity (FBE) programme, which is aimed at providing eligible customers with free electricity units each month. The programme was initiated in response to illegal connections and electricity theft, which caused network overloading. This resulted in a low rate of revenue collection, which was cited in the Auditor-General's recent report. The registration will commence on 17 June to 31 July 2025, where each customer will receive 50 kWh of electricity per month for free. City Power CEO, Tshifulano Mashava, said the programme is not only about addressing illegal connections, but it also aims to create greater access to electricity. 'Access to electricity is not a luxury, but a key feature required to support social and economic upliftment. This programme is not just about addressing the high levels of meter tampering and illegal connections; it's about restoring dignity by ensuring that there's greater access,' said Mashava. This initiative aims to bring customers back into the culture of paying for electricity services and curb illegal connections. If your meter has been damaged or tampered with, City Power will replace it free of charge. Additionally, beneficiaries will also be exempted from paying the R200 monthly surcharge. To qualify, you must be a South African citizen or permanent resident with a monthly income of less than R7 503 per month. Note that the qualifying amount to access the programme changes annually. Additionally, you must be the legal occupant(s) of the property to qualify. When registering, you will be required to bring supporting documents such as: Identification Document (ID) Proof of residence COJ rates Taxes Account Income Verification (SASSA card or Affidavit) People living with disabilities, senior citizens, unemployed persons, women and children and child-headed households. Mashava further stated that if beneficiaries can afford to pay but refuse to, they will be forced to remove their meters and other equipment. 'There is now no excuse. If you qualify, register and receive free basic electricity. If you can afford to pay and refuse, we will begin a mass disconnection initiative where we will be removing our meters and other equipment,' said Mashava. Customers can register for the FBE programme at different locations, including community-based pop-up registration stations, malls, taxi ranks, churches and SASSA pay points, City Power-led door-to-door campaigns and Imbizos. The team will also be available at the pop-up stands to assist. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
TimesLIVE
4 days ago
- Business
- TimesLIVE
Joburg residents urged to register for free electricity before end of July
City Power has launched a citywide registration campaign to enrol qualifying indigent households across Johannesburg for the free basic electricity (FBE) programme. The campaign, which has been running from Tuesday till the end of July, aims to register 130,000 low-income households. City Power said 'once registered, eligible residents will receive 50kWh of electricity per month at no cost, allowing them to power essential household needs such as lighting, cooking and heating'. To qualify, households must: meet the city's indigent policy criteria, which include households earning R7,503 or less per month; and be South African citizens or permanent residents who are legally occupying the property. According to City Power, the initiative is part of a broader strategy to ensure inclusive access to electricity and improve customer compliance to address electricity theft and equipment damaged by overloading of the network through illegal connections and tampering. City Power CEO Tshifularo Mashava said 'access to electricity is not a luxury, but a key feature required to support social and economic upliftment. 'This programme is not just about addressing the high levels of meter tampering and illegal connections, it's about restoring dignity by ensuring that there's greater access.'
IOL News
12-06-2025
- General
- IOL News
City Power's Free Basic Electricity programme: Expert insights on its feasibility and challenges
City Power announces plans to provide indigent households with free 50kWh per month Image: Supplied/City Power City Power has made a call to all financially disadvantaged and qualifying households across Johannesburg to register for the Free Basic Electricity (FBE) programme. The City of Johannesburg's power utility stated that this is an important initiative aimed at providing eligible customers with free electricity units each month, as part of its broader strategy to ensure inclusive access to electricity and improve customer compliance. According to the city, this is also aimed at addressing electricity theft and equipment damage resulting from the overloading of the network through illegal connections and tampering. The registration drive is scheduled to run from June 17 until July 31, with a target of registering 130,000 indigent customers. City Power's Isaac Mangena said: "Once registered, eligible residents will receive 50kWh of electricity per month at no cost, allowing them to power essential household needs such as lighting, cooking, and heating." According to the utility's 2024 data, 94.1% of the city's residents were connected to the grid in 2022. Mangena said customers can register at community-based pop-up registration stations, malls, taxi ranks, churches, SASSA pay points and through City Power's door-to-door campaigns and Imbizos. Mayibuye resident Vuyolethu Cokotho, 25, expressed excitement, hopeful that the initiative would help many people. "I hope the registration goes smoothly and we get electricity. It is very difficult to survive without electricity because you have to go around asking people to charge your phone for you, asking them to keep your meat in their fridge, and sometimes they don't have meat themselves," Cokotho told IOL. IOL previously reported on cases of electrocution as residents tried to get themselves connected to the power grid illegally. Speaking exclusively to IOL News, energy expert Chris Yellend said: "It is a noble ambition. However, it is not going to be achieved this year or next year, mainly because the city is grappling with mismanagement and quick urbanisation, even though high-density areas like Joburg are more affordable and quicker to electrify than low-density rural areas." "Plans are made every year, and a lot of them don't come to fruition. This could well be one of them," remarked Yellend.
The Citizen
11-06-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Eskom launches smart prepaid meter rollout in Gauteng
Eskom has embarked on an extensive infrastructure upgrade programme across Gauteng, focusing on introducing smart prepaid meters to improve service quality and give customers greater control over their electricity consumption. As part of this initiative, the utility is rolling out smart prepaid split meters in Sandton and Midrand, provided at no cost to residential customers. The rollout begins with a comprehensive stakeholder engagement process, including community meetings, door-to-door education campaigns, customer forums, and ward meetings. These engagements aim to inform residents about the benefits of smart prepaid meters, as well as related programmes such as free basic electricity (FBE), inclining block tariff (IBT), and energy efficiency measures. Read more: City Power extends meter compliance deadline for people who have not upgraded yet A smart prepaid meter is a digital device that records electricity consumption in real time, deducts the amount from a prepaid balance loaded by the customer, and communicates with Eskom remotely. The meter and its customer interface unit (CIU) work together to display current credit and consumption data, allowing users to monitor their usage closely. These meters feature two-way communication, enabling Eskom to read data, detect power outages, identify tampering, and send updates or instructions remotely. When the prepaid balance reaches zero, the system automatically disconnects power and reconnects once credit is loaded. To top up, customers can buy prepaid tokens from accredited vendors, supermarkets, banks, or online platforms, and then load the tokens into the CIU at home. The CIU shows the remaining electricity units and flashes faster as usage increases, helping users manage their consumption efficiently. Also read: City Power urges prepaid customers to complete meter upgrades before deadline The benefits of smart prepaid meters include cost savings through better consumption control, enhanced customer service with real-time outage detection, reduced theft and tampering due to anti-tampering features, and proactive notifications via SMS or email when credit is running low. Additionally, these meters contribute to a more reliable and stable electricity supply, with fewer outages and load shedding events. Customers are advised to purchase prepaid tokens only from authorised vendors to ensure they receive the correct amount of electricity without additional fees. Eskom also encourages customers to contact their local revenue protection units regarding illegal connections, which smart meters can now detect more effectively. For more information or to apply for services, customers can email their requests with relevant hashtags and details to the appropriate Eskom regional email addresses listed on Eskom's website. The ongoing upgrades aim to drastically reduce energy theft and improve overall service delivery, making electricity management more transparent, efficient, and secure for Gauteng residents. Follow us on our Whatsapp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok for the latest updates and inspiration! Have a story idea? We'd love to hear from you – join our WhatsApp group and share your thoughts! Related article: Cllr Deborah Francisco shuts door to smart meters in Alex At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
