Key Takeaways
- In Tshepisong, only about 11 % of residents currently pay for electricity, a figure that has risen from a previously reported 3 % after a community imbizo.
- Residents say they are willing to pay, but frequent power outages, delayed transformer repairs, and illegal connections erode trust and discourage payment.
- City Power’s “normalisation” programme aims to formalise supply by repairing infrastructure, installing prepaid meters, and curbing meter bypassing and vandalism.
- Despite a temporary service withdrawal due to sabotage and illegal reconnections, the utility resumed supply while continuing to push for legal vending.
- Similar low‑payment patterns persist in neighbouring Alexandra, while areas like Pennyville have shown significant improvement (57 % vending) through targeted interventions.
Background and Current Payment Situation
Tshepisong, a west‑Johannesburg township, has struggled with extremely low electricity payment rates for years. Recent reports indicate that only roughly 11 % of the population now purchases power, a modest increase from the earlier 3 % figure that applied mainly to businesses. The low vending rate has persisted despite residents’ expressed willingness to pay for the service, pointing to deeper systemic issues rather than mere reluctance to spend money on electricity.
City Power’s Reported Improvement After the Imbizo
City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena noted that the improvement in Tshepisong’s vending rate followed an electricity imbizo held on 27 August, attended by Johannesburg mayor Dada Morero and utility officials. During the meeting, residents were urged to settle their accounts and adopt legal vending practices. Mangena said the utility expects the percentage to continue rising as its normalisation programme progresses, which seeks to address the root causes of non‑payment.
Explanation of the Normalisation Programme
According to Mangena, “normalisation” is the process through which electricity supply is formalised in communities plagued by widespread meter bypassing, illegal connections, and low vending patterns. The programme involves repairing or replacing damaged infrastructure after outages, then installing prepaid meters to ensure that consumption is measured and paid for before supply is restored. By tackling both the technical and behavioural aspects of electricity theft, City Power hopes to create a sustainable revenue stream while improving service reliability.
Service Withdrawal and Subsequent Reinstatement
Last month City Power temporarily withdrew electricity services from Tshepisong, citing continued acts of sabotage, widespread illegal connections, and the unlawful reconnection of infrastructure that had not yet been commissioned. The utility argued that these actions threatened network safety and hindered revenue collection. However, after reviewing the situation, City Power rescinded the shutdown and resumed supply, acknowledging that cutting off power alone would not resolve the underlying challenges of illegal activity and infrastructure damage.
Resident Perspective: Paul Radebe’s Experience
Paul Radebe, a Tshepisong resident, recounted to Sowetan that after a month‑long blackout, households were required to make payments before their electricity could be restored. He explained that residents went to retailers such as Pick n Pay, each paying between R200 and R500, and then had to present proof of purchase for City Power technicians to switch the lights back on. Radebe emphasized that the community does not object to paying for electricity; rather, the lack of reliable supply forced them into a cycle of paying for a service they could not use.
Resident Perspective: Jose Matate’s Frustration
Jose Matate echoed similar sentiments, noting that he used to purchase electricity for his home, but frequent transformer trips and power outages left his house dark despite having credit on his prepaid meter. “Because this would happen almost every day, we got to a point where we said we would no longer pay because we didn’t have power,” Matate said. The repeated failure to receive the service after payment led many residents to resort to alternative fuels such as wood and paraffin for cooking, undermining the purpose of buying electricity.
Impact on Consumer Behaviour and Alternative Coping Strategies
The mismatch between payment and supply has created a situation where residents accumulate credit on prepaid meters while their homes remain without power for days or weeks. This erodes trust in the billing system and encourages the use of illicit connections or meter bypassing as a coping mechanism. Moreover, the need to purchase wood, paraffin, or other fuels adds financial strain, especially for low‑income households, and poses health and safety risks associated with indoor air pollution and fire hazards.
City Power’s Analysis of Ongoing Challenges
Mangena elaborated that Tshepisong’s difficulties stem from a tightly interwoven set of problems: extremely low electricity vending, illegal connections, widespread meter bypassing, vandalism, tampering, and damage to the electricity infrastructure. These factors not only depress revenue collection but also place the network under severe stress, leading to frequent outages and equipment failure. He stressed that simply disconnecting supply cannot remedy the issue; a comprehensive approach that combines infrastructure repair, community engagement, and law enforcement is necessary.
Broader Context and Future Steps
The spokesperson warned that neighbouring Alexandra faces comparable challenges, with only about 11 % of residents paying for electricity. In contrast, Pennyville—another area near Soweto that once suffered from low vending—has improved dramatically, with 57 % of residents now purchasing power after targeted interventions. City Power intends to replicate successful strategies from Pennyville across Tshepisong and Alexandra, including intensified community outreach, faster response to transformer faults, stricter enforcement against illegal connections, and continued expansion of the normalisation programme. By aligning service reliability with fair billing, the utility hopes to restore resident confidence and achieve sustainable, legal electricity vending throughout the region.