The City of Cape Town has clarified that City customers will not be impacted by the end of November deadline for the national electricity meter software update, as City updates were done way ahead of the deadline.

The National Prepaid Meter Software Update through purchased tokens is currently underway across South Africa, with Eskom recently urging its customers to make sure they complete the Do-It-Yourself software update process.

When making a purchase, customers receive long codes to update their own meter software.

The software of all prepaid meters in the country must be updated by the end of November 2024, otherwise, new tokens will not be accepted.

READ: Old software for prepaid electricity meter expires soon

However, this does not apply to City customers anymore as all meters have already been updated over the past three years that this initiative has been active.

The City says inaccurate and confusing reporting has left many City customers concerned that they will not be able to recharge their prepaid meters come the end of November 2024 and won’t have power supply.

However, the City has reassured customers that all of the approximately 570 000 City prepaid meters have been updated, and this software update programme is therefore coming to a close.

Confusion may have also crept in because two meter-related programmes were running at the same time.

While the software updates on pre-paid meters for City customers have been completed, a meter replacement programme is still underway.

This involves replacing old single and three-phase electricity credit meters and prepaid meters with new prepaid meters in City-supplied suburbs.

The replacement is free of charge and the new meter will ensure more accurate readings, greater usage control and cost management.

The replacement is compulsory as the meters belong to the City of Cape Town, and it is being done in a phased approach.

The City maintains there is no difference in the cost of electricity between the old credit and new prepaid meters as the meters only measure usage, even as some communities protest against the new meters.

READ: Cape Flats residents demand action against rising electricity costs

Meanwhile, the Western Cape as a whole is close to full compliance, with 98.4% of meters already reset within municipal supply areas.

This is well ahead of the national average of 85.6%.

The municipalities of Bergrivier, Cape Agulhas, Cederberg, Drakenstein, Overstrand, and Swartland have also already reported a 100% completed reset.

The MEC of Finance Deidre Baartman has urged residents who are unsure about whether they have reset their meters or not, to contact their local Municipalities:

Eskom customers who require assistance or are unsure whether their meters have been reset can contact Eskom’s General Customer Care Number (08600 37 566) or visit the Chatbot (https://alfred.eskom.co.za/chatroom/).