Ekurhuleni business owner alleges wrongful electricity disconnection

Business owner Carlos Putin is questioning the City of Ekurhuleni’s electricity disconnection procedures after his power supply was allegedly cut off despite his municipal account being up to date with payments.

Putin said he was frustrated by the incident. He claimed that when he attempted to explain to the contractor responsible for the disconnection that he had already paid his account, he was not given an opportunity to explain his situation or produce evidence.

Instead, he alleges that the contractor threatened him when he tried to raise the issue.

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“I pay my account on time and it’s up to date. I did not even receive a letter that said I owed the city or a notice of disconnection. They just came to my business and wanted to cut my lock to open the box to cut the power, without giving me the chance to show that my account was not in arrears,” said Putin.

The incident has raised questions about how the city verifies payments before disconnecting electricity to businesses, particularly where customers maintain that their accounts are settled.

For businesses, an electricity disconnection can disrupt daily operations, affect service delivery and potentially result in financial losses. The concern is whether sufficient checks are conducted before such action is taken and whether customers are given a fair opportunity to resolve payment discrepancies.

GCN sent an enquiry to the city questioning its procedures for disconnecting businesses and verifying payments.

In response to questions about its electricity disconnection process, the city of Ekurhuleni said customers whose accounts remain unpaid after the due date are considered to be in arrears.

According to the city, a final demand or pre-termination notice is issued to the customer through hand delivery, post or electronic communication using the contact details recorded on the municipal system.

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The notice advises customers of the minimum amount payable, the payment deadline and the option to enter into a payment arrangement.

The city said a minimum notice period of 14 days is provided before disconnection. If the customer fails to make the required payment or enter into an acceptable arrangement within the prescribed period, the city may proceed with disconnection in accordance with its Credit Control and Debt Collection Policy.

The city said disconnection instructions are generated through a bulk process during billing cycles, based on predefined system criteria.

However, it maintained that accounts are verified against its financial system before a disconnection instruction is issued.

Payments must reflect on municipal system

The city acknowledged that payments made through banks or third-party vendors are recognised only once they have been receipted on its financial system.

“Customers are advised to make electronic payments at least seven days before the due date to allow sufficient time for the payments to reflect,” said city spokesperson Zweli Dlamini.

This requirement raises concerns for customers who have paid but whose transactions may not yet appear on the municipal system. In Putin’s case, the central question is whether the city’s records accurately reflected his account status when the disconnection took place and whether the payment verification process was followed.

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The city said it had no confirmed records of incidents in which accounts were disconnected despite payments having been updated on its financial system and the accounts being up to date. However, this response does not establish whether the circumstances surrounding the businessman’s complaint have been individually investigated.

What happens when electricity is disconnected incorrectly?

The city said customers who believe their electricity has been disconnected incorrectly should immediately contact Customer Care, Revenue or the Credit Control Section, or use the Siyakhokha platform.

“Customers must provide supporting documentation, including proof of payment, for the matter to be investigated. Officials will verify the account status, payment allocation and whether the payment was receipted on the municipal financial system before determining whether the disconnection was correctly executed,” explained Dlamini.

According to the city’s Credit Control and Debt Collection Policy, services must be restored after satisfactory verification of payment or once the applicable requirements have been met.

However, the policy does not prescribe a fixed turnaround time for resolving complaints or restoring electricity. The city said it would endeavour to restore supply as soon as reasonably possible when an account is confirmed not to be in arrears and the requirements for reconnection have been satisfied.

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The lack of a fixed turnaround time could leave businesses uncertain about how long they may remain without electricity while a disputed disconnection is investigated.

“Businesses are encouraged to submit account queries or disputes in writing, apply for payment extensions where they qualify, or enter into repayment arrangements if they are experiencing financial difficulties,” said Dlamini.

The city confirmed that it does not have a dedicated escalation process exclusively for business customers, although urgent complaints involving alleged incorrect disconnections are investigated by the relevant operational and revenue departments.

For Putin, the issue is not only whether his electricity account was paid, but whether his payment was properly checked before the disconnection.

The incident highlights the importance of accurate payment records, proper verification procedures and respectful communication between municipal contractors and customers, particularly when a business disputes the grounds for a disconnection.

Busi Vilakazi 4 minutes read Facebook X LinkedIn Tumblr Pinterest WhatsApp Telegram Share via Email Print Support local journalism Add The Citizen as a preferred source to see more from Germiston City News in Google News and Top Stories.