City of Joburg to cut off power for businesses owing utilities

The City of Johannesburg has urged businesses owing water and electricity to pay their debts to avoid power cuts.

Some businesses in Johannesburg may have their electricity or water supply cut due to the millions of rands they owe to the city for utilities.

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BUSINESSES OWING MUNICIPALITY TO SUFFER FROM WATER AND POWER CUTS

The exact number of businesses facing power cuts is not yet known. However, the City of Johannesburg said that hundreds of businesses are at risk of their supply being cut off.

According to a statement by the City of Johannesburg, the city’s group finance department will soon roll out its aggressive water and electricity disconnection drive affecting business customers citywide.

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“Pre-termination of power notices have been sent to all affected customers across the city, warning them about impending water and electricity disconnections,” said the department.

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IMPLEMENTATION OF CREDIT CONTROL AND DEBT COLLECTION

The director of customer communications for the city’s finance department, Kgamanyane Maphologela, said the city would implement its Credit Control and Debt Collection Policy to recover the water and electricity debt owed.

“The Credit Control and Debt Collection Policy empower our Credit Control unit to recuperate outstanding debt from customers owing,” said Maphologela.

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Maphologela added that the Credit Control Policy stipulates that if a customer has not fully paid the outstanding amount and an Acknowledgment of Debt Agreement (AOD) is not entered into with the city within the stipulated period, electricity may be disconnected and water restricted or throttled without further notice.

Maphologela further adds that the city appeals to business customers struggling to service their accounts for various reasons to approach the city, to avoid being water and electricity cut off by signing an AOD.

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