Latest news with #FreeBasicElectricity
The South African
8 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.
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
12-06-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
City Power launches free basic electricity drive for Joburg
The free electricity drive forms part of City Power's broader strategy to bring non-vending customers back into formal payment systems. City Power has launched an ambitious registration campaign targeting 130 000 indigent households across Johannesburg, offering 50kWh of free electricity monthly to qualifying residents. According to the utility, the registration initiative will run from 17 June to 31 July 2025. The utility said this represents a comprehensive approach to addressing both affordability concerns among the city's most vulnerable residents and its ongoing battles with revenue collection and infrastructure damage. City Power's General Manager for the Department of Public Relations and Communication, Isaac Mangena, said the Free Basic Electricity programme will provide eligible customers with monthly electricity allocations at no cost, specifically designed to cover essential household needs, including lighting, cooking, and heating. Beyond the free electricity allocation, registered beneficiaries will be exempt from the R200 monthly surcharge and qualify for additional City of Johannesburg rebates covering property rates, water, and refuse removal services. City Power programme aims to address multiple challenges City Power CEO Tshifularo Mashava emphasised the dual purpose of the initiative, stating that '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.' Mangena said the registration drive forms part of City Power's broader strategy to bring more than 140 000 non-vending customers back into formal payment systems. The utility stated that these customers currently consume electricity without payment, resulting in substantial revenue losses for the utility while contributing to infrastructure damage through illegal connections and meter tampering. According to Mashava, the programme serves as both a safety net for vulnerable households and a compliance mechanism. '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,' she warned. ALSO READ: City Power's 8-hour outages to hit Joburg this week City Power applies strict qualification criteria for free electricity Households seeking to benefit from the programme must satisfy specific indigent policy requirements established by the city. Qualifying applicants must be unemployed or earn no more than R7,503.01 monthly, with all household income sources requiring declaration. The programme exclusively serves South African citizens and permanent residents who are legal occupants of their properties. Mangena confirmed that supporting documentation will be mandatory during registration. Required documents include: Valid identification Proof of residence City of Johannesburg rates and taxes account statements Income verification through Sassa cards or sworn affidavits The target beneficiaries include senior citizens, unemployed individuals, women, children, child-headed households, and persons with disabilities. City Power has also introduced an amnesty component, offering free meter replacement for damaged, bypassed, or tampered equipment without imposing penalties on registered households. ALSO READ: City Power warns Johannesburg residents as cold weather sees spike in outages Free electricity registration strategy City Power has developed an extensive outreach programme to ensure maximum accessibility for eligible residents. Registration opportunities will be available at community-based pop-up stations, shopping malls, taxi ranks, churches, and Sassa payment points throughout the campaign period. The utility will also conduct door-to-door campaigns and community meetings, known as imbizos, to reach households that may not have access to traditional registration points. Mangena indicated that teams will provide multilingual support across various platforms to meet the diverse needs of the community. Financial sustainability focus The initiative directly responds to concerns raised in the Auditor-General's recent report, highlighting City Power's low revenue collection rates. The utility views the FBE programme as integral to its financial stabilisation efforts, combining social support with enhanced compliance enforcement. Mashava emphasised the programme's role in creating system-wide accountability. 'This programme is about equity, accountability, and financial sustainability. With your cooperation, we can ensure no household is unfairly disconnected and no customer abuses the system to the detriment of others,' she stated. NOW READ: Alex residents 'tried to hold city power officials hostage', now power restored with R2k catch
The Citizen
12-06-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Eskom boosts grid by 2 550MW as cold front hits Gauteng
Eskom has returned at least 2 550MW of generation capacity to the national grid as severe winter weather grips the country. According to the South African Government News Agency ( the power utility is making steady progress in reducing maintenance operations, with the Energy Availability Factor (EAF) currently fluctuating between 61% and 64%. 'While system constraints are occasionally experienced, adequate emergency reserves are in place and are being strategically deployed to support demand during the morning and evening peak periods,' Eskom said. The utility warned that this week's cold front may drive up electricity usage, putting additional strain on the grid. The return of 2 550MW to service by June 9 is part of efforts to stabilise supply during peak hours. ALSO READ: City of Ekurhuleni and Eskom discuss municipal debt Progress is also being made at Medupi Unit 4, which was damaged in 2021. Commissioning activities are underway, and Grid Code compliance testing is expected to resume within the coming week. The unit is anticipated to return to service by the end of June. As more units return from long-term repairs, Eskom expects a reduction in diesel use, improving overall grid performance this winter. According to Eskom's Winter Outlook (until 31 August 2025), load-shedding may be avoided entirely if unplanned outages remain below 13 000MW. If breakdowns increase to 15 000MW, load-shedding would be limited to a maximum of 21 days over the 153-day period and restricted to Stage 2. Eskom also appealed to communities to avoid illegal electricity connections and energy theft, which often lead to transformer damage, equipment failure, and prolonged outages. 'These issues force us to implement load reduction to protect the network,' the utility said. ALSO READ: Public outraged by increased Eskom tariffs Customers are urged to buy electricity only from Eskom-accredited vendors and to register for Free Basic Electricity through their local municipalities. To help manage household consumption, Eskom encourages residents to use its online Residential Calculator at At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
